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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22576915">PREDATOR: THE RITUAL</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlphaLima1980/pseuds/AlphaLima1980'>AlphaLima1980</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Yaksa Saga [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Alien vs Predator (2004), Aliens vs Predators Series - Various Authors, Predator Original Series (1987-1990)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alien Cultural Differences, Alien Sex, F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 11:08:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>27,297</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22576915</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlphaLima1980/pseuds/AlphaLima1980</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Rava'an is a young Yaksa (Predator) who has recently achieved the rank of Hunter... and the right to mate, but things aren't so easy. Anu'sha is the youngest daughter of a Yaksa Elder and known for her difficult trials in which many experienced Hunters have died.<br/>Will be Rava'an able to complete the deadly tasks and get the most wanted female of his clan?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Elder Predator / Young Predator, Yautja (Predator)/Original Character(s), Yautja (Predator)/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Yaksa Saga [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1957873</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/iterations/gifts">iterations</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This story was conceived as a Challenge by "iterations", who wanted a Yautja (Yaksa) sex story but not a just a shallow plot.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“<em>Ancestral women may have preferred intelligent, energetic men for their ability to hunt more effectively and provide their children with more meat. But I would suggest it was much more important that intelligent men tended to produce intelligent, energetic children more likely to survive and reproduce, whether or not their father stayed around. In other words, I think evolutionary psychology has put too much emphasis on male resources instead of male fitness in explaining women's sexual preferences.</em>”</p><p><em>― </em>Geoffrey Miller<em>, The Mating Mind: How Sexual Choice Shaped the Evolution of Human Nature</em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Twenty second <em>Yuga</em>, <em>Yaksa</em> calendar (Roughly 1623 C.E. Earth Date). Unknown planet around twin stars <em>Arundhati</em> and <em>Vasishtha</em> (Mizar and Alcor, <em>Ursae Majoris</em>).</strong>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Rava’an looked to the sky as soon as he stepped out of his ship; two suns appeared in zenith, a big, whitish-blue sun with a smaller red companion. Lower on the horizon, two more suns shone in a light blue color. Their combined glow was enough to make Rava’an squint.</p><p>The jungle was well lit and the blue light of the four stars made the vegetation grow disproportionately. Giant leaves that could hold the weight of a full grown male and trunks so wide, that a small house could be carved inside them, although this wasn’t what Rava’an was here for, he was on a very different Mission.</p><p>Not long ago, he had completed his rite of passage. Rava’an’s people, the <em>Yaksa</em>, were hunters since immemorial times. Once they were a great civilization that spanned several worlds, but they were displaced after a great war with another rival race. Forced to be nomads of the stars, Rava’an’s people adopted a quasi-tribal culture based on hunting, where only the strongest and boldest would be appointed leaders.</p><p>Rava’an was one of those, the fifth son of a clan leader. He was destined to undergo the rigorous tests that were required of him. He had already passed the first, stalking, hunting and collecting the skull of a warrior from a sentient race that inhabited the third planet of a yellow sun a few cycles of travel from this world. The Skull, now properly cleaned and polished, was exhibited on the small <em>Tzompantli</em>, or trophy case inside Rava’an’s ship.</p><p>The next task brought him to this jungle planet in order to collect a very different Item. When he achieved the rank of Hunter, he also had won the right to choose a mate; for that, he had to collect a piece called <em>Hectocotyli</em>. Basically it was the sexual organ of a creature called <em>Kṛmiḥ</em> or the seven headed snake king.</p><p>The <em>Krmih</em> wasn´t a snake of course, it was a kind of amphibious cephalopod. The <em>Hectocotyli</em> was one of those specialized tentacles which transported the genetic material from the male to the female. The female was ten times larger and fiercer; she could tear apart even the largest <em>Yaksa</em> in seconds. Trying to steal the <em>Hectocotyli</em> from the female was therefore close to a suicide mission.</p><p>But it was not so easy as simply collecting the thing, in <em>Yaksa</em> culture; one could not present the <em>Hectocotyli</em> to a female and ask her to mate with him, the <em>Hectocotyli</em> was payment for the right to courtship, and later served to the female as the main dish after the mating ritual. <em>Hectocotyli</em> provided proteins and hormones necessary for a healthy offspring; Even with the rank of Hunter, the right to mate had to be earned… sometimes with blood.</p><p>For that, ceremonies called <em>Swayamvara</em> were celebrated, it was essentially a competition in which the female chose a generally difficult and life-threatening challenge, and only he who fulfilled it deserved to be the maiden’s first descendant’s father.</p><p>- o -</p><p> </p><p><strong>Two Solar cycles prior </strong> <strong>(Roughly 1620 C.E. Earth Date)</strong></p><p> </p><p>Rava’an met Anu’sha for first time after he had achieved the rank of Hunter in <em>Saubha</em>, the clan’s capital city; <em>Saubha</em> was a gigantic, disc shaped ship which now rested under the surface of a shallow ocean, once belonged to a fierce warrior named Kamsa, it was shot down during a battle and crashed there ages ago, while Kamsa was beheaded by a <em>Chakra</em>, a disc weapon. Rava’an’s clan established their capital city in the large ship’s partially sunken wreckage.</p><p>Rava’an and his father were discussing the details of his previous –his first –hunt with a member of the council.</p><p>-“That last maneuver, the grace with which you used your blade was like a graceful dance: Clean and swift. You may have killed him, but he understood he was defeated and killed himself to save his honor. I haven’t seen a hunt like that since the golden age.” The veteran hunter said to the younger Yaksa before leaving the hall.</p><p>He bowed his head in respect, but his mind was elsewhere, with the female accompanying an Ancient hunter with multiple scars around his body and long, white dreadlocks.</p><p>- o -</p><p>Anu’sha was the daughter of one of the elders preceding the trials. Rava’an was heading for the <em>Kehrite</em>, the training arena. He went to the <em>Kehrite</em> to train on the eve of his first ritual hunt and stopped to watch two young females fighting, a crowd of younglings were cheering and raising their fists, obviously the fight was good, some even bet on it.</p><p> Anu’sha was there fighting with another fellow maiden Abhi’tha, whose name meant “fearless”, was another young female. Not as muscular as Anu’sha but she had a light brown skin with red mottling, she has short dreadlocks tied on a top-knot and two bronze rings hung from the skin folds of his jaws, an ancestral practice of his family.</p><p>Unlike the young male’s often clumsy and brutish fights; Females’ fighting style was graceful, almost a choreography. Anu'sha calculated each move and dealt the blows firmly, sending her opponent tumbling to the edge of the circle. As Abhi’tha struggled to stand up, Rava’an observed the young female in detail and asked one of the bystanders for her name. He recognizer her as the elder Vahraya’s youngest daughter.</p><p>He was captivated immediately, unable to look away from such beauty. As her name suggested she was beautiful, soft green-blue skin with dark blue geometric patterns and tailbone length, dark dreadlocks tied together with a strip of blue leather. In <em>Yaksa</em> culture, blue was a color associated with the gods. On top of that, her eyes were amber not yellow, the most common eye color among their people.</p><p>The <em>Yaksa</em> were a dimorphic species; males were different from females, although those differences were subtle. She had a slim, yet muscular body; her facial features were thin, her jaw less pronounced, her eye sockets were less sunken, lacking the male's facial quills. She had a slightly longer and thinner neck and her chest showed off small but firm breasts.</p><p>Abhi’tha launched herself against Anu’sha with the intention of knock her off the platform, using her body as a projectile, but Anu'sha was quick, dropped on her back and intercepted the attack, using her muscular legs and arms, propelled Abhi’tha through the air directly towards a wall where she bounced off and slammed to the floor, unconscious. Anu’sha, stood victorious and roared. In the eyes of the young Rava'an, the heat fired from her sweating body left it covered with reddish and orange tones that simulated estrus during sexual intercourse. Rava’an became excited, but before he could do anything about it, Anu'sha's companions carried her on their shoulders out of the Arena, heading towards the bathrooms were they would clean her up and she would enjoy a good victory meal.</p><p>- o -</p><p>Rava’an returned from his memories, On that occasion Anu'sha wore only a loincloth and her breast plates were tied with a leather strap, easing her movements, but now, in the council chamber, she wore the traditional dress for females that have reached sexual maturity but were not yet mated; it was made of a single piece of cloth spun from plants fibers and silk, a sign of her maidenhood, white with metallic golden breast and shoulder plates. Around her neck, she had ten golden rings. More the rings meant higher the status among the <em>Yaksa</em>.</p><p>He felt a rush of pheromones course through his body. He started to sweat, soaking his cloak in a slightly musky scent. It must’ve been strong because a baritone took him out of his reverie.</p><p>-“Better not set your standards too high, son. <em>Yaksas</em> who think with their <em>Zepha</em> have found the black warrior sooner than they wished” Rava’an’s father spoke. “Anusha’s not an ordinary female; her Sire is an Elder and she is well known for her hard trials during the <em>Swayamvara</em>. You’re not suited for that challenge yet, my inexperienced son.”</p><p>-“Why not? I have achieved the rank of Hunter; I can choose whoever I want.” Rava’an protested.</p><p>-“Others have tried to court Anu’sha… and died” His father told him “It is said that on the last <em>Swayamvara</em>, Four strong warriors wanted to court Anu’sha and she chose <em>Dawon</em> hunt, and the four suitors perished during the trial. They were strong, brave and experienced warriors... and they still failed. Since then, Anu’sha is also called Adi’ti –matchless, free and unbounded.”</p><p>-“The <em>Dawon</em>? The sacred Lion?!” Rava’an exclaimed. “She may well have asked the skull of a <em>Deva</em>!”</p><p>-“Or yours, in any case, you would be dead” His father sentenced. The two walked out of the council chambers towards their home, at the edge of <em>Saubha</em>, overlooking an archipelago that shone like an emerald in the blue sapphire sea.</p><p>Rava’an pondered about that for a long time, the same time it took the red giant star to disappear below the horizon. It was worth the risk, if he was successful he would have the most desirable female in the clan, if he failed, he would have one of the most honorable deaths and would be sung for ages in the family saga. While walking to his bedroom, he had decided to collect the Hectocotyli and ask for the chance to sire Anu’sha’s –Aditi – firstborn.</p><p>- o –</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“<em>A lion does not become king of the jungle hunting mice.</em>”</p><p>― Matshona Dhliwayo, Canadian author and philosopher.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Twenty second Y<em>uga</em>, <em>Yaksa</em> calendar (1623 C.E. Earth Date). </strong> <strong>Unknown planet around <em>Vasishtha</em> (Mizar) system.</strong></p><p> </p><p>Coral broke under Rava’an’s feet, tiny crabs fled into their lairs; he was walking along the beach of an interior salt sea, where the <em>Kṛmiḥ</em> lived. It was mainly a sea creature, but during mating season they left the shallow waters for the palm tree shade. There, they assemble in great numbers to mate.</p><p>He saw tracks on the sand, indicating a <em>Krmih</em> had crawled from the sea towards the jungle. “<em>Must be near</em>” he thought. The <em>Krmih</em> usually hid in caves until midnight, when the males would assemble in a clearing and fight for a single female. After that, the winner put the <em>Hectocotyli</em> on the female and fled. The trick was to collect the <em>Hectocotyli</em> after the male had won but before the female has a chance to absorb it.</p><p>Rava’an climbed a tall, leafy tree with thick foliage and waited for midnight. The <em>Krmih</em> was not the only dangerous creature that inhabited the planet; the <em>Yaksa</em> had introduced all kinds of beasts and plants from other planets for ritual hunts. The <em>Krmih</em> was one of them, along with the rare and lethal <em>Dawon</em>. He settled on a thick branch and secured himself to it, then covered himself with a fur robe. While he waited, Rava’an’s thoughts drifted to Anu'sha.</p><p>Of course he could ask for Abhi’tha instead, the reddish-brown female was also desirable and came from a high ranked family, but Anu’sha was unique, not only by her beauty and fierceness, something with her was infatuating, every male near her experienced a sexual arousal.</p><p>Remembering Anu’sha’s fragrance made Rava’an’s <em>zepha</em> harden. That feeling intensified when he began to fantasize about her white robe sliding down, revealing well-turned and strong shoulders, on which there wasn’t a single bite scar yet. Paya, he wanted to sink his teeth into her unblemished skin...</p><p>The <em>Yaksa</em> males used their four jaws to cling tightly to the females during mating, if it weren't because their skin was thicker there, the female could get hurt. While experiencing  unrestrained pleasure, the female could enter a euphoric state in which they could throw the male, hurting them seriously.</p><p>Rava'an found that he was stroking himself and his face contorted when imagined her wet <em>Yonl</em> squeeze his throbbing <em>zepha</em>. Warm fluid spurted over his leg. No, he would have to learn to control their impulses, if that happened during the act, he would not only be the laughing stock of the other young warriors, but of the elders too, since a <em>Yaksa</em> should be able to act cold headed and control their emotions under any circumstances, be it in war or love.</p><p>He cleaned himself up and fell asleep in the tree.</p><p>- o –</p><p>It was midnight and the usually quiet jungle was filled with the noise and calls from nocturnal animals. A long, high pitched scream woke Rava’an from his slumber: “<em>Krmih mating call</em>” he convinced himself. “<em>It is time</em>”</p><p>He checked his equipment, as it was a test, it was basic: the metal twin wrist-blades, shoulder medikit and body mesh, a leather loincloth and his mask not only used to balance the mixture of atmospheric gases but also as a HUD that showed the information on the ground and computer tracking system. The <em>Vajra</em>, a hot plasma cannon weapon traditionally used on the left shoulder by the Warrior caste, wasn’t valid during the test. Neither was the <em>Maya</em>, a cloaking device. The creatures inhabiting this planet were mostly nocturnal and could see through it. His weapons of choice were a pair of feet and a half long scimitar like daggers that hung from a holster on his back.</p><p>He rose on the branch and jumped onto the ground, a myriad of bioluminescent insects rose in flight like a bright cloud of green, blue and yellow phosphorescent tones; the call repeated itself again, not far southward, Rava’an ran towards the location.</p><p>The jungle became thicker, wet branches hit Rava’an on the face, but the trail was clear, the calling sounded louder now. The tracking device on his mask detected multiple scents from <em>Krmih</em> ahead; Rava’an climbed onto a tree and proceeded jumping branch to branch. He heard multiple callings and the sound of wood being broken, after moving the foliage aside; he looked in amazement at the scene in front of him.</p><p>In a clearing, there were three of the creatures, all male, fighting. Rava’an didn’t see any female, but it had to be near, waiting for the winner. One of the males was far larger than the other two, twice the size of an adult <em>Yaksa</em>, its seven tentacles were longer than two <em>Yaksa</em> placed one over the other. The creature’s skin was though, pinkish with multiple bio-luminescent spots all over its body. It was perched on a large mossy basalt boulder and two of its tentacles wrapped around a tree as it ripped it out with the roots, and then swung it against the other two <em>Krmih</em>.</p><p>The smaller of the two took a direct hit and was thrown against another rock at the end of the clearing, his bioluminescent blood splashed on nearby leaves and logs. The other creature stood on two tentacles and roared, showing his jaws to his rival, a mouth like a worm full of crystalline fangs. To Rava'an the gesture seemed strangely familiar; it was the <em>Yaksa</em> way of inviting to fight hand to hand, the custom possibly derived from observing these dangerous beasts.</p><p>The larger creature roared in turn and descended from the rock, it charged its opponent and entwined tentacles, ready to bite and tear the other apart. The smaller octopus-like creature bit one of the tentacles off, the larger creature roared in rage, it wrapped its remaining tentacles around the creature’s head and tried to crush it, the creature struggled to break free, but he couldn't, then the bigger one loosened his grip and threw it right to the place where Rava’an was perched.</p><p>Rava’an barely avoided being crushed by the creature, for a second it hanged from the branch, seemingly unconscious. Rava’an was unsure of what to do; there wasn’t any specific rule about how to obtain the <em>Hectocotyli</em>, everyone just assumed it has to be fighting with the creature, but seeing how vicious the creature was, taking any advantage given would not break the <em>Yaksa</em> honor code, which forbids attacking any unconscious or unarmed prey.</p><p>Before the beast couldn’t recover, he hastened to cut off the tentacle, but when he tried to use the wrist-blades, they shattered, the same happened with the scimitars. Rava’an cursed; of course it wouldn’t be that easy. He imagined his father laughing at the naivety of his son.</p><p>The <em>Krmih</em> opened its eyes and using a tentacle, hit Rava’an on his chest, he fell to the ground. The creature leaped over him, meaning to tear him into pieces, but the <em>Krmih</em> had forgotten about its rival. The larger creature caught it midair and wrapped it with his tentacles and brought it close to his snout, a large black hole full of fangs, sharp like daggers that tore the head of the smaller male, rendering its tentacles lax and the triumphant creature proceeded to consume his rival.</p><p>Rava’an took the opportunity to escape before the male noticed and climbed back to the nearest tree, his arm was bleeding from a cut that happened when he fell.</p><p>-“This will be more difficult than I’ve imagined, now I’m unarmed.” He contemplated “How in the name of the black warrior am I going to kill that creature?”</p><p>Below, the <em>Krmih</em> kept eating, throwing pieces of his rival all over the place, a piece of tentacle fell on the branch near Rava'an. He took it and examined the half eaten piece of flesh; along with the phosphorescent orange liquid was a thick whitish liquid with a pungent odor.</p><p>-“Damn, the <em>Hectocotyli</em>.” He exclaimed. That was the intended trophy, but he couldn’t show up with that half-eaten piece of meat full of saliva and who knows what else to Anu'sha's ceremony.</p><p>Once the creature had finished its meal and was gone looking for the Female, Rava’an descended from the tree. He lit a small fire and used his medi-kit to tend to his wounds. After he ate some of the travel food, dried meat crushed with some berries and fashioned a couple of spears with the shards of his scimitars, he turned its attention to the piece of tentacle.</p><p>It tested I’s hardness, trying to stab it with a sharpened hardwood branch, then with a shard of volcanic glass and one of the crystalline fangs left among the leftovers, without any success.</p><p>-“<em>Think Rava’an, honor your name</em>” He thought. He was named after an ancient king famous for his wisdom and cunning.</p><p>The attack came suddenly and without any warning. A beast twice his size lunged towards Rava’an from a thick branch above and landed on his back, throwing him to the ground, before the beast could bite his neck out; the Hunter flipped over and threw the beast off him. Despite its size and great strength, it was not very heavy.</p><p>It was a juvenile <em>Dawon</em>, attracted by the stench of death and the promise of an easy meal. Rava’an observed the beast in detail: It has the feline body shape, quadruped, strong muscles and a long tail. The body had no hair, but it was like leather with grainy scales. I still didn't have the bright colors of an adult and the mane around its neck was only a bunch of quills.</p><p>But the head was other thing; it had four eyes, a maw filled with bone-crushing teeth and four mandibles equally filled with fangs. The <em>Dawon</em> was in fact, an old relative of the <em>Yaksa</em>, a living fossil from which the branch of humanoid hunters derived, millions of years ago.</p><p>The <em>Dawon</em> attacked again, jumping from side to side as he advanced. Rava'an waited until the last moment to dodge the attack, but it was not fast enough, a sweep of the left claw scratched his side. The three claws cut through the metal of his body mesh and part of the shoulder pad, green phosphorescent blood splashed the blue leaves.</p><p>Rava’an reached his spear and held it close to his body, the <em>Dawon</em> hesitated; its skin weren’t as though as an adult’s but it was still hard. It circled the hunter, waiting for a chance to attack. Rava’an never took his eyes off the beast.</p><p>-“Come on, you overgrown ball of meat. Attack!” he teased the predator. The <em>Dawon</em> roared in response, but continued circling him.</p><p>Slowly, the beast pushed Rava'an back more and more, until he stumbled upon a loose branch on the ground. The <em>Dawon</em> took advantage of that instant of distraction and attacked. The beast launched itself against the <em>Yaksa</em> and knocked him against the ground. Rava'an used the handle of his spear to avoid a lethal bite, but the <em>Dawon</em> was strong and the wood began to splinter.</p><p>He flexed his legs and placed them against the belly of the beast. He had to use all his strength to throw the animal back, the beast landed on its paws like a cat and attacked again. This time, the Hunter braced his spear against a rock and the creature’s open maw fell directly on it, the spear pierced its throat and reached its brain. In a last attempt of killing Rava’an, the <em>Dawon</em> threw a couple of desperate blows sideways.</p><p>Finally, the large predator’s body relaxed and the beast stared at him with glassy eyes and short breaths. Rava’an, covered in sweat and blood, shoved aside the beast and got up, proceeding to remove his mask. He wanted to face his prey but at that moment, the creature launched a final blow to Rava’an, cutting his face diagonally and leaving two bloody lines on his face.</p><p>- o -</p><p>Exhausted, he lied on the ground, took a deep breath and looked at the stars far above. He laughed, making a series of clicks with his mandibles. He had killed one of the mythic beasts! Of course, it wasn’t an adult, but he had never heard of someone killing one of them, at least not someone as young and inexperienced as himself. The pain of the scars on his face didn’t matter, the only thing that filled his mind at that moment was that he deserved Anu'sha... but there was still a piece to collect.</p><p>“But, how to pierce the <em>Krmih</em>’s hard skin?” A moment of revelation came to his mind.</p><p>Unlike the metal used on his wrist-blades, the claws of the <em>Dawon</em> were made of an organic nano-carbon compound, sharper and deadlier –being even resistant to the tainted blood of an <em>Aquabruamelu</em> –another mythic beast though to have destroyed the <em>Yaksa’s</em> three sacred cities.</p><p>After hauling the carcass between two large boulders, building a shelter there to protect himself, Rava'an lit a fire and used the left claws to cut the right paw, then he used it to skin the <em>Dawon</em>’s body. He put some meat on the fire, and soon the delicious aroma of cooked meat reminded Rava'an that he was hungry.</p><p>Using a metal string from his threshed body mesh, he fastened two of the claws to his bracelet and tested it against one of the legs, hanging from the shelter’s ceiling. It cut like a hot knife on grease; he replaced the spear tip with the last claw. Job done, he slept the rest of the night. The hunt would continue the next morning.</p><p>- o -</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“<em>A trophy's value isn't measured by the worth of its metal but by the amount of work that's required to obtain it</em>”</p><p>― Johannes Schiefer</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Twenty second <em>Yuga</em>, <em>Yaksa</em> calendar (1623 C.E. Earth Date). </strong>
  <strong>Unknown planet around <em>Vasishtha</em> (Mizar) system, two cycles later.</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Rava’an’s bio-mask beeped and a triangular red marker appeared on his HUD, indicating it has picked up a trail. After the fight with the <em>Dawon</em> he’d lost track of the great <em>Krmih</em>, the creature must’ve fled to its lair during the day. Rava’an’s feared it had already encountered the female and was heading back to the ocean. The Krmih mating season lasted only two or three nights every five solar cycles. If he misses the chance, it would ‘be another five solar cycles until he would have the chance again.</p><p>“<em>No, there are others who desire Anu’sha… it has to be now or never</em>” he thought. He crossed a deep gorge by balancing on a large fallen tree trunk.</p><p>The day he’d decided to compete for Anu’sha, his father had told him there were another <em>Yaksa</em> interested, particularly two hunters: The first, Skan’dha, was a tall and bulky male from the same clan as Rava’an, he had arms thick as tree trunks, hence its name "Tree". He was right-handed with the spear and liked to fight melee, using his powerful fists which could break jaws and skulls and leave most of the other male unconscious, despite this he was the gentle giant type.</p><p>The other one was Ujesh’, Rava’an know almost nothing about him as he was from another clan, his father was very cryptic about that. He had just warned his son not to mess with the warrior.</p><p>-“His ancestors once fought in the Great War along with us, but their clan is not on good terms with us now” that was all the wise hunter had said.</p><p>The jungle thickened around Rava’an and he climbed a tall tree to get a look at his surroundings, the last thing he wanted was suddenly bump into the <em>Krmih</em>. He heard a strange noise coming from a rock cliff ahead, the trail continued in that direction. Rava’an examined the thick substance coating the rocks and leaves. It was jelly-like: <em>Krmih</em> saliva, he was close. Topographic survey fed on the HUD of his mask, shown him there was a cliff and a river with a shallow cave behind a waterfall.</p><p>Stepping out of the foliage, Rava’an discovered the large <em>Krmih</em> sleeping in the cave, protected from three sides by the cliff. Its body was kept moist by mist coming from the waterfall. He observed the creature in detail: its body bore a myriad of scars, mostly from other males; having survived multiple battles meant that the specimen was old and dangerous.</p><p>Rava’an spotted his intended trophy: The old male’s <em>zepha</em>, a long and muscular tentacle with a slight thickening near the end, making it look like an earthworm. Instead of the usual suction cups, it had a series of hooked spines at the tip that served to hold on to the female; when inserted into the receiving tube, the spines clung to her mucus membrane as the tentacle detached from the male, remaining stuck there until fertilization was complete, over the time, the tentacle would regenerate, being ready for the next mating season.</p><p>The <em>zepha</em> was splayed loosely outside the cave, under the hammering waterfall. Rava'an thought that if he was stealthy, he could cut the tentacle unseen through the falling water. Facing that monster head on was not a good idea. He examined the wrist-blades made from the <em>Dawon</em>’s paws, they were firm and sharp. “<em>I am ready</em>” he said to himself.</p><p>He crossed the shallow river by cover of the waterfall, to hide himself from the creature’s sight. At the cliff, he started to climb gripping the moss on the rocks to avoid slipping. When he reached the entrance of the cave and was preparing to cut the muscular appendix, something caught his attention: behind the curtain of water, an eye of cross-shaped pupil stared back at him. Before he had time to react, a tentacle burst through the water and hit him in the chest, sending him down into the river.</p><p>The creature descended unto him from its hideout, fully awake. It had been pretending to sleep, while its eyes were closed, it had been watching Rava’an through its receptor pores, cavities filled with gel capable of detecting the faintest electrical impulses, such as a beating heart. It grabbed the young <em>Yaksa</em> with two of its tentacles, wrapping them around his body. The hug was suffocating, Rava'an gasped, but before he could pass out, he was able to free his arm and slashed one of the appendages. Blood spurted from the wound; the <em>Krmih</em> roared in pain and loosened its grip.</p><p>-“You liked that, ugly?” The young hunter teased the monster. The creature growled back and started to circle him.</p><p>The creature tried to punch Rava’an with a sweep of the tentacle once, then twice and failed. Each time, he defended himself with the blades. The <em>Krmih</em> lost its patience and launched a full assault, throwing itself against Rava’an with all its might, extending its fang-filled mouth.</p><p>Rava’an didn’t predict this and barely had time to crouch when the <em>Krmih</em> gobbled him up whole, not bothering to chew him. That was the creature’s last mistake; Rava’an took advantage of the situation and extended his arms inside, cutting the entrails of the beast. The creature gave a muffled growl and contracted its muscles, trying to suffocate its prey. Rava'an heard a beast's double heart beating beside him and stabbed through the slimy pink flesh. The <em>Krmih</em> gave a last roar and fell to the ground, dead.</p><p>Rava’an came out of the monster's mouth, wiped the sticky slime from his face and body, and roared in triumph. He used the blades to carefully remove the creature’s tentacle; he then pulled out an extendable container from his shoulder plates and placed the tentacle-shaped <em>zepha</em> there.</p><p>“Time to head back” Rava’an said to himself “But not like this” he sniffed the acrid stench from the creature’s inside that was impregnated on his body and decided to take a bath in the waterfall.</p><p>He stripped himself of the body mesh and armor plates, then the leather loincloth, leaving him naked in the bluish light of the four suns, which in contact with his yellowish skin painted it in green tones. Phosphorescent green blood poured from several scratches made by the tentacles and the crystalline fangs of the <em>Krmih</em>, on his face, the two parallel wounds made by the <em>Dawon</em> had turned a darker shade on healing. Fortunately, he had not lost his eye. He could proudly display the scars.</p><p>The cold water from the waterfall refreshed his body, Rava’an opened his mouth and drank the fresh water and then he proceeded to clean up the rest of the creature’s bile from his body. While bathing, pondered what test Anu’sha would ask him to accomplish. If it were the <em>Dawon</em> hunt, he already completed it, but he feared he’d chose the warrior Ujesh’ if he kill an adult <em>Dawon</em>.</p><p>It was dusk by the time he returned to his ship, near the coast. The pale blue suns turn purple over the horizon, and the ocean waves flashed with the bioluminescence of the plankton. The tiny craft took off the sandy shore and headed for Rava’an’s homeworld.</p><p>- o –</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Saubha</em>
  </strong>
  <strong>’s central district, five cycles later</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Rava’an hurried up the stairs to the old Vaharaya's home in the city center. The entrance had been decorated with the motif of the ceremony to be carried out, red, orange and blue banners hung on the copper walls. An elderly <em>Yaksa</em> with several tusks missing greeted him. "Who are you and what are your intentions?”</p><p>-“I am <em>Ksathriya</em> Rava’an son of Adhi’nata. I came here for the <em>Swayamvara</em>” He said his rank first, then his name as was the custom. The old <em>Yaksa</em> opened the doors and invited him to enter.</p><p>-“This way <em>Ksathriya</em>, Great Vaharaya is in the hall.”</p><p>The spacious room was lit by orange lights pulsing behind translucent walls. Engravings showed scenes of ancient battles and names of great heroes. Rava'an admired in the far west a large trophy case filled with skulls and weapons taken from warriors: Round-domed skulls from inhabitants from the third planet of <em>Surya</em>, a few of the now extinct prominent forehead humanoids and a fairly large skull Rava’an recognized it was of a <em>Deva</em>’s. Among the weapons were <em>Chakras</em>, <em>Vajra</em> and a spear fashioned from the tails of an <em>Aquabruamelu</em>, a scorpion man.</p><p>He focused all his attention on the <em>Deva</em>’s skull. Like those of the <em>Nara</em>, as the humanoids called themselves, the <em>Deva</em> skull round-shaped, with large eye sockets and white teeth, but it was larger. They were great warriors of ancient times and difficult to kill but they were almost extinct now.</p><p>-"That cost me one of my mandibles" a voice boomed behind him.</p><p>Rava’an turned around and saw Elder Vaharaya sitting on a stone throne; two big mastiffs were lying down each side. The Elder petted the one at the right, which let out a satisfaction growl. Both beasts never took their eyes off Rava’an, their dreadlock-like quills on their heads vibrated suspiciously, just then he noticed the missing appendix on the Elder’s face.</p><p>-“Great Vaharaya, I’m <em>Ksat</em>–“ Rava’an said, kneeling but Vaharaya cut him short, waving his hand.</p><p>-“I know who you are Young one, but you must wait until the ceremony start. It won't be long; my daughter is on the way. It will be enough for the others to arrive.”</p><p>-“Others, Sire?” Rava’an asked.</p><p>-“Did you think you were the only one who wanted my daughter? Each cycle young warriors appear here, bragging about their exploits and presenting their trophies, but they are no match for the black warrior. Praise <em>Paya</em>, what happens to these generations?” the Elder scolded him, but then he continued, in a conciliatory tone. “But, you’re a <em>Ksathriya</em>, a warrior now and you’ve earned the right to try. Please, sit down and eat something… We’ll see if the son of great Adhi’nata honors his clan.”</p><p>Rava’an obeyed and soon other <em>Yaksa</em> arrived, some were young while others were experienced warriors. He recognized Skan’dha, who outsized his companions by a head. The bulky <em>Yaksa</em> whore his hunter attire, bronze shoulder, groin and knee plates, body mesh and an orichalcum mask, engraved by his multiple titles; hung from his back, there was his trademark telescopic spear. He kneeled before Vaharaya and sat across the room, he nodded at Rava’an.</p><p>The servants began to bring dishes with different stews: juicy ribs dipped in a berry sauce, fragrant fruits imported from another system, lobster-like crustaceans, etc. Rava’an’s belly growled, but he waited for the other guests to help themselves, before he took a generous serving for himself.</p><p>Anu’sha made her appearance not much later; she wore a semi-translucent white silk robe over golden metal breast and <em>yonl</em> plates, still, the sensual shapes were visible and had a hypnotic effect when she moved her hips. She sat on a cushioned throne next to his father and stroked the head of one of the mastiffs. The animal turned complacently and licked Anu'sha's hand, who gave him a piece of meat that the animal devoured in one bite.</p><p>Rava’an was wondering if this Ujesh' his father talked about would appear, he hadn’t heard his name among the guests, when he heard the unmistakable sound of a shuttle landing outside the palace.</p><p>Murmurs were heard throughout the room "who will it be?", then alarmed voices came from outside, followed by warnings from the guards. The suspense continued until the doors opened and three huge <em>Yaksas</em> entered. The tallest of the three had scarred skin, wearing strange armor that seemed more organic than metallic, two <em>Vajra</em> cannons on each shoulder and a quiver, but only three spear-like arrows on it, no bow. The other two had the same type of strange armor but less ornate, the shorter of the two had a <em>Vajra</em> cannon and carried a spear gun and the last one, an old male with white dreadlocks and a huge scar on his right leg had a whip made from the flexible tail of an unknown creature hung from his belt.</p><p>There were gestures of amazement, outrage, and even fear among some of the attendees. Ujesh' had arrived and Rava'an immediately understood why his father had warned him about the hunter, he was not a <em>Yaksa</em> but a <em>Raksasa</em>, a killer. Things had become more complicated.</p><p>- o –</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“<em>Take no heed of good looks, but rather of callused hand. Old Maori saying: Choose a husband for his work, not his appearance.</em>”</p><p>― Toni Polancy, Hawaii in Love</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Twenty second <em>Yuga</em>, <em>Yaksa</em> calendar (1623 C.E. Earth Date). Saubha central district.</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>The murmurs of those attending the ceremony soon gave way to a sepulchral silence that filled the central chamber of the palace. The silence was broken when another <em>Yaksa</em> warrior named Gathok’ exclaimed:</p><p>- "What in the name of <em>Paya</em> are these <em>Raksasas</em> doing here?"</p><p>- "<em>Raksasas</em>? Do you dare to insult us here during a sacred ceremony?" Ujesh' roared after hearing the word. It was considered an insult to call someone a <em>Raksasa</em>, a killer.</p><p>- "So sacred that it should not be stained with the presence of these honor-less murderers," replied Gathok’, addressing the Elder, who remained unflappable. Ujesh’ roared once more, he and his companions drew their weapons, Gathok’ unsheathed his disc weapon and prepared to decapitate the <em>Raksasa</em>.</p><p>-“That’s enough!” Elder Vaharaya rose from his throne and called to order. The two mastiffs growled and showed their teeth, ready to attack but Elder Vaharaya put his hands over their heads and offering them a piece of meat, calming them. The mastiffs swallowed the piece of meat and stopped growling, but the quills on their backs were still erect and they didn't take their eyes off the newcomers.</p><p>Gathok’ dropped his weapon immediately. Ujesh’ and his company of <em>Raksasas</em> hesitated, but after a few seconds of quiet defiance they complied. Rava’an, watching the scene from afar relaxed, he had drawn his spear and blades as well. Once everyone had calmed down, Elder Vaharaya explained.</p><p>-“There must be order in this room, we’ve gathered here for a ceremony as ancient as the hunt and any warrior can participate..." he paused, and then continued, addressing Ujesh’, “...as long as they follow the rules."</p><p>Ujesh’ signaled to the elderly <em>Raksasa</em> who brought him a cylindrical container. Ujesh' opened it and showed everyone the largest <em>Krmih</em> tentacle Rava'an had ever seen. The creature it belonged to was surely twice the size of the one he had killed. The older <em>Yaksa</em> there exclaimed in amazement and Ujesh’ laughed complacently, almost bragging.</p><p>-“I killed that <em>Krmih</em> using only the blades and my skill, that monster couldn’t touch me even once…”</p><p> -“Sometimes, making yourself vulnerable is a way to show your true strength*,” said Vaharaya unimpressed, and addressed the rest of the contestants, “Bring forth your payment.”</p><p>Skan’dha, Rava’an and Ghatok’ presented their tributes. Ghatok’ wasn’t as tall as Skan’dha but he was more muscular. He had greenish-yellow skin and his weapon of choice was the Chakra, an ornamental disc weapon with serrated edges. His more prominent feature was short dreadlocks, giving him the appearance of being almost bald.</p><p>When Rava’an presented his trophy, Ujesh’ mocked the appendix’s size:</p><p>-“And you call ME a <em>Raksasa</em>? This kid here killed a baby <em>Krmih</em>. Can someone tell him killing younglings is forbidden...?" he teased, making his companions laugh. Vaharaya had to intervene once more before the situation got out of control.</p><p>-“I have allowed you to participate as a means to end this senseless feud between our clans. In honor of your involvement in the Great War so long ago, you are being given the opportunity to regain some honor and return to the alliance. If you’re incapable of restraining yourselves, I’ll have no choice but to expel you from this sacred chamber."</p><p>Ujesh' became silent and bowed his head, but Rava'an noted the fury contained in his yellow eyes. Elder Vaharaya continued.</p><p>-“Now we can start this sacred ceremony.” He turned to his daughter, who had remained silent all this time. Anu’sha rose from her throne and spoke, everyone kept their silence.</p><p>-“I’m Anu’sha, Daughter of great Elder Vaharaya. I have reached the age of producing a first heir for the one who manages to pass the task I’m going to entrust to you.” She started.</p><p>It was the fourth time Anu’sha did this. Her father was becoming impatient as the most beautiful of his daughters presented almost impossible tests to complete some valuable <em>Yaksa</em> had even died. Anu'sha suspected that the old leader wanted so badly to see children born from the vivid image of his first wife, whom only the old leader had chose to mate with.</p><p>What Elder Vaharaya didn’t know was that Anu’sha didn’t want to mate yet. At least, not with such boorish and repressive males that always showed up for the ceremony to claim their right to mate. Females were generally stronger and better hunters than males, but for some reason they were confined to having children and pleasing warriors. Females that hunted were rare and were usually those who had not mated nor did not belong to any clan. It was only her respect and devotion for her elderly father that kept her from leaving the clan and become a rogue huntress herself.</p><p>Anu’sha examined the four candidates: Gathok’ was the eldest of the four, he bore the name of an ancient <em>Yaksa</em> warrior who fought in the Great war, and some said he was a direct descendant of, but his temperament was volatile. Proof of this was having called Ujesh' a <em>Raksasa</em> openly even though it was true, he showed that he could rarely contain himself.</p><p>Skan’dha on the other hand, was quite calm and analyzed each situation carefully before acting. He was brave and imposing but he came from a highly conservative family and Anu'sha doubted that once mated, he or her Sire would let her participate in the hunt.</p><p>Anu’sha then fixed his gaze on Ujesh'.The <em>Raksasa</em> was imposing, he surpassed Skan'dha in height by more than two heads. The skin that was not covered by armor was littered with old scars, the warrior had fought too much and survived. The armor he wore was not the typical <em>Yaksa</em>’s six-piece metal armor, but instead it had an organic appearance, almost like a chitinous shell and was attached to his body so that it was indistinguishable where one piece ended and the other began. To Anu'sha, it seemed strange but vaguely familiar until she realized it was a <em>Kavach</em>, the ceremonial armor of the <em>Devas</em>.</p><p>“That damn killer had a <em>Deva</em>’s armor, impervious to almost all of our weapons. There’s no way he’d lose in combat against the others.” Anu’sha thought. “The only things that can pierce that are the claws and jaws of a <em>Dawon</em> or the tainted blood of a scorpion man.”</p><p>She decided not to let Ujesh' win.He would have to face something really dangerous, even if that meant the death of the other warriors. He shouldn’t win for any reason.</p><p>Finally, she examined the young <em>Yaksa</em> who wanted her. Anu’sha’s father had told her he was the son of Chief Adhi’nata. In fact, he looked a lot like the honorable warrior. He had shoulder-length black dreadlocks and ocher-yellow skin with black spots and stripes. He had a diamond-shaped spot pattern on his skull like hers, but of a different hue and his eyes were bright yellow and not amber like his father. He had very few quills over his eyes since he was still young, but what caught her attention the most were the two irregular and parallel scars that crossed his face diagonally.</p><p>She barely remembered him from the time when he underwent his first ritual hunt. She did not remember seeing him with those scars; he had probably earned them recently. The young hunter did not have ornate armor and his ceremonial mask, which was currently hanging from his belt, had only the word <em>Ksatriya</em> क्षत्रबन्धु engraved on it.</p><p>It was odd the young <em>Yaksa</em> hadn’t marked his mask with the story about the scar on his face. "Maybe it wasn't something honorable or worthy" Anu'sha thought.</p><p>-“How did you get those wounds?” She asked Rava'an, who was surprised by the question. Elder Vaharaya raised his eyebrows in a curious gesture; everyone was waiting for the young hunter's response.</p><p>-“They were made with these,” he said presenting her the blades he’d made with the claws of the young <em>Dawon</em>. “The beast surprised me while I was tracking the <em>Krmih</em>.”</p><p>Anu’sha observed the blades carefully. They were made of a metallic material but they did not seem to be forged. Her father's complacent murmur made her understand what they were: The front claws of a young <em>Dawon</em>.</p><p>-“You killed a sacred lion?” Anu’sha asked him.</p><p>-“Just an immature one, but it was him or me.” Rava’an tilted his head down out of respect. He was a bit nervous to speak to her directly. Her question had taken him by surprise. “Nothing to be proud of… just survival,” Rava’an responded. A rush of excitement ran through Anu'sha's body. Although the beast was a youngling, the young Ksathriya had faced the <em>Dawon</em> alone, without armor and with subpar weapons.</p><p>Ujesh’ stared angrily at Rava’an. He could almost guess Anu'sha was taking an interest in the boy, but he calmed down knowing that he would most likely die during the test. After all, accidents happened frequently, especially when Ujesh’ was around.</p><p>-“A humble attitude will always create the best output**.” Elder Vaharaya intervened. “You should etch that on your mark, young one.”</p><p>-“I could take these,” Rava’an said, pointing to his blades. “I used them to kill the <em>Krmih</em> and obtain his <em>ze’pha</em>. They will be more than enough.”</p><p>Anu’sha, Elder Vaharaya and the rest of the attendants gathered there did something that Rava'an did not imagine, they struck three their chest plates three times with their fists, a symbol of respect… everyone except the <em>Raksasas</em>, albeit the older one put his hand over his the chest plate surreptitiously.</p><p>-“The test you are about to carry out will determine if you are worthy. Some may die trying. It will take place in one of the many temples dedicated to hunting that exist spread across different worlds,” Anu’sha announced. “There. You will face a mythical creature and the one who kills it will be the one I’ll choose.”</p><p>“<em>Which mythical creature is she referring to? I don't think it's the holy lion.</em>” Rava'an thought. Whispers filled the room; the others were wondering the same thing. Anu'sha and her father got up, left the room, and headed for the hangar of the old ship, the others followed.</p><p>- o –</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Welcome back. Finally I finished this chapter. I want to thanks iterations for her beta reading and editing, also FF.net user eap404 for his gamma read. Hope you are all well and please Stay Home.</p><p>Ga'thok: a reference to Mahabarata hero Ghatotkacha, whose name derived from Ghatam "a percussion instrument shaped like a pot", and utkaca, meaning "bald". The hunter was bald, hence his name.<br/>Kavach: Armor, basically the biomechanical armor of the Engineers.<br/>*Quote from Criss Jami: “To share your weakness is to make yourself vulnerable; to make yourself vulnerable is to show your strength.”<br/>**Quote from Jeremy Aldana: “A humble man will always receive the best that others have to offer”</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Before anything else, I want to thank iterations for her comments and editing.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“<em>There is one rule, above all others, for being a man. Whatever comes, face it on your feet.</em>”</p><p>― Robert Jordan, <em>The Great Hunt</em>.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Twenty second <em>Yuga</em>, <em>Yaksa</em> calendar (1623 C.E. Earth Date). Archipelago Four <em>Yo’hanas</em> west of <em>Saubha</em>.</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>They were heading to an ancient temple and fighting arena in the ruins of a secret jungle city that was built on the slope of an inactive volcano. The surface of the sea foamed white as the hover skiff carrying the <em>Yaksa</em> flew low over the waves. Rava'an looked over the jungle that covered the largest of the islands ahead. Behind them the partially sunken wreckage of the airship <em>Saubha</em> shone beneath the local sun with a golden glow.</p><p>They landed on the white sand bathed by an emerald sea. The party included the four <em>Yaksa</em> contestants, the clan elders and of course Anu'sha, who was carried by four servants in a litter.</p><p>Taking a jungle trail to reach the temple, they soon arrived at a clearing. There stood a limestone building that sparkled in the white light of the sun. More than a pyramid, it was a <em>Stūpa</em>, a semi-spherical building surrounded by a low-rise wall and rounded doors. Despite the heat outside, it was cool inside and in one of the rooms the water condensed, falling into a central basin. Rava’an noticed it wasn’t built with the typical <em>Yaksa</em> architecture, made up of angular planes and adorned with engravings depicting ancient battles and hunts, but rather the rounded shapes and columns of a more organic and functional design, not in the least decorative. Elder Vaharaya told them to adjust their masks to another spectrum of light and in doing so, the warriors understood why. The walls were covered in murals! They told the tales of battles and customs of the original owners, the mysterious <em>Devas</em>.</p><p>The four hunters were instructed to strip off their armor and enter for a ritual bath.</p><p>Rava'an removed his armor, starting with the chest and shoulder plates, then the knee pads, and finally the loincloth. The others did the same and Rava'an saw that being the youngest, his skin did not have as many scars as the others. Gathok' had a semi-circle wound on his back, possibly a bite, as well as a plasma burn on his right calf.</p><p>Skan’dha had three circular scars that looked like the product of a kinetic projectile weapon, probably arrows lit with bitumen, painful, but nothing that a field medikit couldn’t cure. When the giant <em>Yaksa</em> removed his loincloth, Rava'an noticed that Skan'dha had pierced metal rings on his <em>ze'pha</em>, similar to the rings decorating Anu'sha's friend Abhi'tha's jaws. He remembered that they belonged to the same clan and it was custom they'd pierce the <em>ze'pha</em> on males and the jaws in females. Rava’an wondered if those rings were painful when mating and guessed they were.</p><p>Ujesh’ refused to have the servant help him remove his <em>kavach</em>. The <em>Raksasa</em> pushed him away with a grunt of displeasure, and then proceeded to undress on his own. The killer was covered in scars from head to toe; some of them were old wounds, inflicted by a sharp object. Rava'an recognized the recent mark left by the crystalline fangs of a <em>Krmih</em> and knew that Ujesh' lied when he claimed to have killed the beast without suffering any harm.</p><p>His skin also had a series of scarifications with tribal motifs, which gave it a darker hue. What was more peculiar, were the marks where the skin had been torn off in certain parts of his chest and back. It must have been painful, but then Rava'an remembered something he learned from reading about the <em>kavach</em> during his studies. The Deva armor interacted directly with the user's nervous system, therefore when putting on that armor one should have exposed nerves. The <em>Raksasa</em>'s pain threshold must be extremely high to wear armor designed for a completely different species.</p><p>The <em>Raksasa</em> noticed Rava’an observing him and gave him a hateful look, challenging the young <em>Yaksa</em> to speak what's on his mind; Rava'an felt it was best not to anger the male further by voicing his opinions.</p><p>After the bath they were led to the armory next to the main arena. There was a huge collection of weapons hanging on display on the wall. <em>Vajra</em> cannons of different sizes and <em>Chakra</em> in a variety of designs. The wall offered everything from sharp smooth edged models to serrated ones with or without extendable blades. There were also scimitars, spears, axes, maces, whips, some bows, net and spear guns. On the other side, there was an <em>orichalcum</em> statue of the Black Warrior overlooking a <em>Tzompantli</em> filled with multiple skulls.</p><p>-“Choose your one weapon.” Elder Vaharaya ordered, and the Elder pointed to the fully stacked wall. “Leave the rest of them be.”</p><p> </p><p>On these ritual hunts, they were only allowed to choose a weapon in addition to the standard wristblades. The <em>Vajra</em> cannon was forbidden on all trials</p><p>Gathok’ stripped off his weapons, leaving only his Chakra hanging from his belt. Ujesh’ kept a whip and Skan’dha a huge stone mace.</p><p>Rava'an was undecided, he didn't know what the challenge was and therefore which weapon would be the most suitable. “Perhaps the wisest thing is a weapon that can be used both at a distance and in close combat: Spear or scimitars.”</p><p>At that moment, he saw his father approaching. He had not been present at the opening of the ceremony. The honorable Adi'natha, knowing that his son could die during the test, had come and offered him his spear, made with the barbed tail tip of a Scorpion man.</p><p>-“I’m proud of you, whatever the outcome would be, Son. Here, use this…” He said, lending him the weapon, passed generation after generation since the Great War. “It was my father’s and his father’s before him, and now it’s yours.”</p><p>-“Father, I will bring honor to the clan... or I will die trying. But I swear by <em>Paya</em> and the Black Warrior that this <em>Raksasa</em> will not lay his dirty paws on Anu'sha,” Rava’an promised.</p><p>-“One last advice:” Adi’natha said to his younger son “Act, don’t think. Focus on action as fast as you can, plan as the situation unfolds, adapt and get the job done.”</p><p>Despite his lecture, Adi’natha trusted his son would pass the test. He had seen the recording of the <em>Krmih</em> hunt and knew Rava’an adapted quickly to challenges.</p><p>- o -</p><p>Inside the circular Coliseum the four contestants waited for the trial to begin. In the center of the arena, a large cage rose from the floor and when it opened, four rhino-like beasts came barreling out of it. A robed <em>Yaksa</em> brought some kind of metallic urn and placed it in front of the beasts. One of the huge animals sniffed the urn and then all of them reared in blind terror, trying to pull away from it. The thick chain around their necks rattled as the beasts tried to free themselves. A few seconds later, the urn exploded and a black cloud of motes revolved around for a moment, only to spread and invade the beast's nostrils. The animals started to buck and thrash, trying desperately to fight the parasites but it was useless and they eventually calmed and lay down. A few minutes later they started to bellow and cough.</p><p>Rava’an noticed heavy stone grates descending on all doors; they were locked inside with the animals. Something was about to happen, he and his fellow hunters readied their weapons.</p><p>One of the beasts writhed on the floor and bellowed in pain. Then, he saw how his abdomen swelled and moved. Something pushed the skin from the inside and the shrieks from the beast increased, blood and bile spurted from its mouth. The rest did the same after a few seconds.</p><p>-“What in the name of <em>Paya</em> is that?!” he asked.</p><p>The skin and ribs of the Rhyno-like beast finally gave way and a translucent bag of meat spilled on the floor between jets of arterial white phosphorescent blood. It looked like a pulsing monstrous lump inside a filmy fetal sack. They noticed the thing inside the sack had a bulbous, eyeless head ending in a pointed skull, a long tail ending in a stinger and a skinny body, with its ribs visible under the semi-translucent skin. Two sharp thorns protruded from its back. The thing gave a terrifying screech as it tore the fetal sack apart and emerged.</p><p>Skan'dha looked at Rava'an and then at Gathok’, but it was Ujesh' who answered the giant's silent question:</p><p>- "<em>Gallu</em>" The killer said. Rava’an and Skan’dha frowned, and then the <em>Raksasa</em> added “What you call an <em>aqrabuamelu</em>.”</p><p>-”Scorpion man...” Skan’dha acknowledged.</p><p>The other three animals also suffered the same fate as the first, albeit in different manners. One of the hideous creatures emerged from the mouth, a tiny arm tore its jaw and tongue, the rhino-like creature collapsed, drowning in his own blood. Another tore its way from the creature’s ears, making the skull explode. The last one emerged from the beast’s anus, between a combination of blood, guts and excrement, the animal was still alive when the little monster got rid of the fetal sack and quickly dispatched its host by ripping off a large piece of its neck.</p><p>Rava’an always imagined the mythical scorpion man as a huge creature, but the thing he had in front of him was no larger than one of the mastiffs Elder Vaharaya held in his throne room. Ujesh' seemed relaxed and held his whip firmly, but Rava'an could feel the tension bristle from the other two <em>Yaksa</em>.</p><p>The creature nearest to him growled and looked around. In that moment Rava’an noticed it was growing fast, it had doubled its size in the last minute. The stinger on its tail flexed and he could see it was nimble. The four creatures crawled around the circular arena and climbed on the walls, analyzing their surroundings. When they had grown into the average size of a <em>Yaksa</em>, all attacked at once.</p><p>One of the <em>Gallu</em> launched itself against the older Gathok’, claws ready and its sphincter-like mouth opened, showing its long, sharp fangs in a menacing growl. The hunter evaded the attack with a move to the left; the <em>Gallu</em> narrowly failed to bite the hunter's throat and used the wall to propel himself forward again but was greeted with a swipe of the blades. The <em>Gallu</em> fell to the ground, hissing; his blood splattered the stone tiles.</p><p>Gathok' roared in triumph as he had spilled the first blood, but his celebration was short-lived, since the <em>Gallu</em> attacked again, pinning him to the ground and soon he found himself fighting desperately with the monster, who used his tail as a spear, trying to impale Gathok’s face.</p><p>Meanwhile, another of the <em>Gallu</em> charged against Skan'dha who readied his massive stone mace to crush its head. The <em>Gallu</em> dodged it by climbing the arena wall. Skan’dha threw his mace against the wall and the creature dodged once more, then jumped back to the ground, hissing furiously. Skan’dha readied his blades.</p><p>Rava’an used his father's spear to repel the creature's first attack, wounding it in the side. Blood splattered on the ground but only for a few seconds as the wound healed quickly. "<em>I’ll have to kill it fast, it will be too dangerous to bleed it slowly until it dies,</em>" he thought. The <em>Gallu</em> opened its sphincter-like mouth and showed him its teeth by extending its mandibles just like the way the <em>Krmih</em> had done.</p><p>The creatures attacked relentlessly, without mercy or hesitation. They were natural born killers and were not held back by any self-preservation instinct. The <em>Gallu</em> fighting Skan'dha lost a hand to his blade, but he cared little and continued to fight as if nothing had happened, splashing the hunter with his putrid blood. Rava'an remembered his father had told him that thousands of these creatures destroyed the three sacred <em>Yaksa</em> cities in just one night.</p><p>Ujesh’ on the contrary, was clearly in his element. He was more massive than the creature and his armor protected him from the attacks of its tail. He kept the <em>Gallu</em> at bay by cracking his whip and holding his blades in a defensive position. The <em>Raksasa</em> knew how to fight, Rava'an had to admit.</p><p>The <em>Gallu</em> launched himself at the gigantic <em>Raksasa</em> and pierced Ujesh' armor with his claws, pinning him to the ground. Before the <em>Gallu</em> could bite him, Ujesh' tossed it to the side and jumped up, cracked his whip again and caught the creature by coiling it with the length.</p><p>He looked at his surroundings and saw an opportunity. At the opposite end of the room, Gathok' was still fighting with his back on the ground with the <em>Gallu</em> over him. Finally, he was able to break free of the beast and sit up, but at that moment, Ujesh’ grabbed the creature he had caught by the tail and threw it against Gathok', knocking him down. At first glance it would seem like a simple accident. Gathok' fell and the two creatures immediately subdued him. One of them pinned him to the ground while the other bit his head, ripping it off. Phosphorescent green blood stained the ground. For a brief moment, the creatures fought for the severed head until one of them swallowed it. Then they returned to the battle in search of more prey.</p><p>-“Now you will hunt in the lands of the Black Warrior, brother.” Skan'dha recited the short prayer for the older <em>Yaksa</em> before continuing the fight. He had pinned the <em>Gallu</em> against a corner and used his mace to crush it. As he raised his mace, one of the <em>Gallu</em> leapt onto his back and bit him on the shoulder, the giant <em>Yaksa</em> growled in pain and grabbed the monster by the arm and threw him to the ground. His shoulder plate was torn off and useless so he discarded it.</p><p>While all this happened, Rava’an faced his own hardship. The <em>Gallu</em> who had beheaded Gathok’ joined the one he was facing. Slowly, they tried to corner Rava'an by alternating their attacks, but he deflected them with the spear. Suddenly one of their heads fell to the ground, followed by the heavy thump of the body, as Gathok's disc cut the head cleanly off. Ujesh' had collected the weapon from the fallen hunter's corpse and had used it to kill one of the monsters. The other turned violently to face the <em>Raksasa</em>, and the muscular tail whipped Rava'an on his legs, making him fall to the ground.</p><p>Skan’dha fought against two of the abominations while Ujesh’ battled the last one. With only three abominations remaining, Rava’an teamed with his clan mate temporarily. He needed to kill one of the creatures if he wanted to remain in the competition.</p><p>Ujesh’ used the disc against the <em>Gallu</em>, but the creature evaded it. The weapon continued its path, directly towards Skan’dha. The large <em>Yaksa</em> was busy fending off the attacks of the remaining creatures and was almost hit. He was distracted for a moment when dodging the <em>chakra</em> and one of the creatures took the opportunity to attack him. It bit his weapon-hand and the mace fell to the ground. As he tried to shake the beast off him, the disk came back and sliced off the creature's head, with Skan'dha's hand still inside the teeth-filled mouth.</p><p>Two creatures remained and Skan’dha was badly hurt. Rava’an had noticed Ujesh’ had been deliberately trying to kill them, making it look accidental, but apparently the overseers hadn’t taken notice of the killer’s actions. He stood side by side with his comrade and rival and readied himself. Ujesh, at the far end of the arena, prepared his next move.</p><p>- o –</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yo’hana: Ancient India measure unit, A Yojana is about 12–15 km.</p><p>Stūpa: A mound-like or hemispherical structure containing relics. Most likely an engineer temple like those in LV-223.</p><p>Orichalcum: oreikhalkos (from oros, mountain and chalkos, copper), meaning literally "mountain copper". Been held to be a gold-copper alloy, a copper-tin or copper-zinc brass or metallic alloy no longer known.</p><p>Tzompantli: A type of wooden rack or palisade documented in several Mesoamerican civilizations, which was used for the public display of human skulls, typically those of war captives or other sacrificial victims. From nahuatl Tzontli, meaning Skull and pantli, Wall. In this case is used as Trophy case.</p><p>Gallu: Akkadian, demons who hauled souls to the underworld. A Neomorph, called Aqrabuamelu by Rava’an’s clan. These words are used to describe the same creatures as a sample of the linguistic differences between different clans.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“<em>There is no dishonor in losing the race. There is only dishonor in not racing because you are afraid to lose.</em>”</p><p>― Garth Stein, <em>The Art of Racing in the Rain</em></p><p> </p><p><strong>Twenty second <em>Yuga</em>, Yaksa calendar (1623 C.E. Earth Date) </strong> <strong>Ancient ruins four <em>Yo’hanas</em> west of <em>Saubha</em>.</strong></p><p> </p><p>The <em>Gallu</em> charged, taking advantage of Skan'dha's recent injury, but Rava'an intervened and used his spear to deflect the monster's attack. The latter screeched furiously and attacked again and again, not caring about the wounds Rava'an dealt with his family heirloom. Rava'an saw that the superficial cuts healed fast. He would not be able to keep it up for much longer. Skan'dha opened his <em>Ci’kitsa</em> with his remaining hand and applied a phosphorescent blue liquid to his amputated limb, cauterizing it.</p><p>On the other side of the arena, Ujesh’ now armed with the whip and the <em>Cha’kra</em>, battled the last <em>Gallu</em>. The creature adapted fast. It no longer tried to kill the large <em>Raksasa</em> by launching itself forward. It kept a safe distance from the whip and dodged the <em>Cha’kra</em> easily. Then it did something Ujesh’ had not anticipated; the <em>gallu</em> climbed a pillar and from above, the monstrous creature released a spray of light greenish bile that hit Ujesh's right shoulder. The shoulder pad sizzled and started to melt. Ujesh' tore it off. He was furious.</p><p>Rava’an prepared himself for the next charge, but the creature didn’t propel itself into the air like it did before. It flicked its tail and knocked Rava'an to the ground with a circular sweep. Now with Rava'an out of the picture, it launched itself against the unsuspecting Skan'dha. Its sharp claws tore into the giant <em>Yaksa</em>'s abdomen. Skan'dha roared in pain, but it was not enough to kill him; he grabbed the skeletal creature by the tail with his remaining hand and threw it against one of the columns. The long, pointed head of the <em>Gallu</em> exploded like a melon, releasing a shower of greenish and putrid liquid; its body fell limp to the ground.</p><p>“Great!” Rava’an scoffed, there was only one creature left and he needed to kill it to stay in the competition.</p><p>The last <em>Gallu</em> was now facing three adversaries, one of them badly wounded but still deadly. It stayed perched on top of the column, spitting its venom and waiting for the perfect opportunity to kill.</p><p>Rava’an watched as the creature's bulbous brain pulsed beneath the semi-translucent skull. It was without a doubt considering its next move. Ujesh’ was preparing to throw the chakra again and Rava'an made a decision: He jumped and climbed up the nearest column to attack the <em>Gallu</em> at the same level, aware that Ujesh’ would try to kill him if he lowered his guard but for a second.</p><p>Rava'an calculated the distance between the two columns. He could do it, he would jump and using the spear, he would kill the last of the abominations.</p><p>- "Anu'sha will be mine," he tried to convince himself, although now it depended more on who she would choose, rather than one of them outshining the others in battle.</p><p>Without thinking, he jumped, surprising the monster who was still distracted by Ujesh'. When the creature became aware of the new threat, it turned and screeched, its jaws extended. Rava'an could feel the creature's hot, putrid breath. There was no point in waiting any longer, Rava'an attacked.</p><p>The spear, made with the tail of one of the same abominations, penetrated the monster's side and it screeched in pain but didn’t die. The <em>Gallu</em> thrashed and clawed at the spear pinning it to the column.</p><p>Rava'an, meanwhile, struggled not to fall from the pillar. When Ujesh' realized what his rival was trying to do, he unrolled the whip once more and wound it around the base of the column. With a strong tug, the rock crumbled and everything collapsed.</p><p>Rava'an fell to the ground and landed on his back. The <em>gallu</em> tumbled on top of him and rolled to the side. It stood up quickly, ready to attack when the huge stone toppled over, crushing it. Rava'an would have been flattened as well, if not Skan'dha had taken him by the leg and pulled him to safety.</p><p>With all four creatures dead, the Trial was over and Ujesh' gave a victorious roar.</p><p>- "I have won!" He shouted mockingly. "The female is mine!"</p><p>Rava'an could only feel defeat. The <em>Raksasa</em> had cheated shamelessly. Maybe he had lost Anu'sha but he still hoped she would choose wisely. No female deserved to be tainted by a dirty killer like Ujesh'. Now everything depended on her and her Sire.</p><p>The stones closing the exits were raised and soon four <em>Yaksa</em> servants entered to take Ghatok's body. They put him on a stretcher with his weapons and carried him to the center of the arena, where the surviving warriors were waiting.</p><p>The Elder Vaharaya and his daughter entered, followed by the members of the council and the other assistants. As was the custom, the contestants knelt down awaiting sentencing. Rava'an almost expected to hear the old leader order him to kill himself for his poor performance. That would be better than listening to Anu'sha accept the dirty <em>Raksasa</em>.</p><p>- "The test is over," the Elder announced. "It is time to make a decision."</p><p>Anu’sha rose from her bone throne and stared at the three survivors. In her mind, she had already made a decision that would shock everyone.</p><p>Anu’sha walked towards the center of the arena, having already decided who of the three she would choose. She had watched the fight closely and couldn't ignore some of the situations that had occurred. She stopped right before Gathok’s body.</p><p>-“According to our oldest traditions, and your performance in the fight, I will announce the winner." Anu'sha said. She unsheathed her ceremonial dagger.</p><p>-”Gathok’ son of K’Satr. You shed the first blood, but now you hunt in the lands of the Black Warrior, teeming with <em>R’ksas</em>. She carved the symbol of <em>Paya</em> on the fallen warrior’s chest and moved to stand in front of Skan’dha.</p><p>"Skan'dha, son of Mahok'sa. You have fought with honor and courage, proof of this are the scars that you will now carry with pride." Anu'sha marked a small symbol between his neck and shoulder.</p><p>Skan'dha rose and looked straight ahead. His clan regarded him with pride, especially Abhi'tha. This did not go unnoticed by Rava'an... or Anu'sha.</p><p>"Rava'an son of Adhi'natha" she said, continuing towards the youngest contestant. He lowered his head; usually the last one to be named was the winner. He tried not to let his disappointment show.</p><p>-"I will kill myself gladly if you ask me to. I have failed to kill even one of those abominations," he said with shame, but she stopped him.</p><p>-"No need to go to such extremes," she said consolingly. Murmurs of astonishment could be heard from the listening attendants. "You are still young and have a lot to learn." Anu'sha waited for him to raise his head and look into her golden eyes before she continued. "You have fought well and also shown honor, young warrior."</p><p>That said, she marked his neck as well. Phosphorescent green blood trickled down his chest and dripped onto the stone floor.</p><p>-"Ujesh' son of S'harva," Anu'sha proclaimed and faced the <em>Raksasa</em>. "You have killed three <em>Gallu</em> and come out unscathed…” Ujesh’ made a gesture of satisfaction, but he stopped when he noticed her hesitation. "However, despite that, I couldn't help noticing that you denied the other warriors the right to kill the creatures. You took advantage and caused the death of one of them, making it look like an accident and also tried to kill the other two with the destruction of that column."</p><p>Ujesh' was angry, that damn female, his trophy blatantly accused him of cheating. She continued her accusations.</p><p>- "Not only that, you used the fallen warrior's weapon treacherously, that is not the practice of an honorable warrior. This is why you and your clan have till <em>Su’rya</em> <em>N’traG’ra</em> to leave this sacred land of the <em>Yaksa</em>. You have passed the test, but you will not have me... nor will your people return here, unless you all want to die like honor-less criminals."</p><p>-”This is outrageous!” Ujesh’ roared. “How can this female bend the rules at her will?! Giving preference to that <em>Mur'kha</em>?!” Ujesh’ couldn’t restrain himself anymore.</p><p>-"Watch your words, <em>Raksasa</em>," a warrior of Gathok’s clan warned. He had a huge scimitar fastened on his gauntlet. “I will not forget you killed my clan brother.”</p><p>Ujesh’, and his companions drew their weapons, but they were surrounded and outnumbered. Attacking the others would have started a bloodbath. He spoke:</p><p>-”Who are the <em>Raksasas</em> now… you lured us here with the promise of a trial and a chance for peace, but you insult us and surround us while you have the advantage of numbers. A not-so-clean fight for a clan who calls themselves honorable!" He bellowed.</p><p>Three bright red dots appeared on Ujesh's forehead, then two more sets on his chest. Ujesh' watched as the old Vaharaya, Adhi'natha and one more warrior pointed their <em>Vaj'ra</em> cannons at him.</p><p>- "And now they will use a divine weapon against one of their own. I thought that was prohibited," Ujesh’ sneered, turning to his companions.</p><p>- "I remind you, that you are no longer one of us." Vaharaya said coldly. His cannon glowed with a blue light, ready to fire. Ujesh’ understood that the Elder was serious and put away his weapons, the rest did the same.</p><p>- "This is not over... We’ll face each other again," Ujesh' threatened.</p><p>The <em>Raksasas</em> left the temple and walked towards the ship parked on a landing pad. Soon their engines started and the ship took off towards the stars.</p><p>- o -</p><p>Meanwhile, inside the temple, tempers calmed when Ujesh' ship disappeared from the monitors.</p><p>The winner was yet to be announced and everyone was certain it would be Skan'dha. Anu'sha had made a decision, based on what she had seen at the trial. Skan’dha surely was a great warrior, by crushing one of the abominations with his bare hands. The young Rava’an had shown resourcefulness, by climbing the column and facing the <em>gallu</em> on its own terms.</p><p>Besides, the young warrior had helped his rival and in turn Skan'dha had saved him from a shameful death, crushed instead of falling in battle. They had repaid their debt to each other but more importantly, to Anu’sha a living warrior was better than a dead one.</p><p>That young <em>Yaksa</em> had something she couldn't quite explain. He wasn’t like the rest of them. He certainly followed the honor code, but lacked the dogmatic rigidity present in Elders and Warriors. For her, such a narrow mindset could in the long run be detrimental to the <em>Yaksa</em> way of life, make them unable to adapt to new threats and situations. In the future, they would need not only strong and spiritual males, but also ones more flexible in their beliefs and actions.</p><p>She wanted to hunt and not only become a child-bearer for a narcissistic seasoned warrior, and for that she needed an open-minded male. A male such as the one she had in front of her...</p><p>-”I chose Rava’an, son of Adi’natha,” she finally announced.</p><p>- o –</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Finally, this chapter is over. Thanks to iterations for the editing (It would be a mess without her advice). Now, wait for the next chapter: Mating time! Meanwhile, check the other story Predator: Amnesia. Another chapter is coming.<br/>Oh, and here’s the glossary:</p><p>Ci’kitsa – Medikit.<br/>K’satr – Warrior (Name)<br/>Mahok’sa – Great-Bull<br/>S’harva – Destroyer (Name)<br/>R'ksas - Wild beasts<br/>Mur'kha - Stupid<br/>Su’ryaN’tra G’ra - Su’rya closes his eye(s), sunset.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks to iterations for her extensive editing/suggestions. She finally got her sex chapter!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“<em> Sex, whatever else it is, is an athletic skill. The more you practice, the more you can, the more you want to, the more you enjoy it, the less it tires you. </em>”</p><p>― Robert A. Heinlein, <em> The Cat Who Walks Through Walls </em></p><p> </p><p><b>Twenty second </b> <b> <em>Yuga</em> </b> <b>, </b> <b> <em>Yaksa</em> </b> <b> calendar (1624 C.E. Earth Date) </b> <b> <em>Yaksa</em> </b> <b> capital </b> <b> <em>Saubha</em> </b> <b>.</b></p><p> </p><p>Elder Vaharaya was dumbstruck. He couldn't believe his daughter, after four <em> swayamvar </em> and the deaths of some of their finest warriors, had chosen the one who had not killed a single <em> Gallu </em>.</p><p>But pondering about it, he came to the same conclusion as his daughter: The clan needed to renew itself with another kind of thinking. New ideas and warriors capable of overcoming dogmas, able to adapt to new challenges. Adhi'nata, Mahok’sa, K’satr and others, himself included, were too old to change their habits, but he hoped that the coming generations would bring their culture into a new golden age not seen since the great cataclysm.</p><p>The Elder clicked his mandibles and gave Anu'sha a small nod. Everything would be fine. The only thing he regretted was that the <em> raksasa </em> had not died during the test. He knew they would hold a grudge and try to take revenge, but the <em> Yaksa </em> of <em> Saubha </em>would be ready. For now, it was time to celebrate.</p><p>Rava’an couldn't believe it. He had lost and still won, he could mate with the most coveted female of the clan and leave offspring with her.</p><p>Arriving in the city, the craft was greeted with a chorus of cheers, roars of victory, and nods. The trial had been broadcast to the city monitors for the commoners to see. Gladiatorial contests were equally enjoyed by everyone, from high ranked <em> Yaksa </em> to simple slaves.</p><p>They descended from the craft and the procession entered the old Vaharaya's palace, where the feast would be held.</p><p> </p><p>- o -</p><p> </p><p>The Elder was already at the party, overseeing the preparations. A roasted <em> Kha'Dga </em> was crowning the center of the table. The huge twin-horned beast had its head removed and placed on a platter, stuffed with fruit and its ground entrails. Judging by the color of the meat, the cooking point was perfect and the aroma was so strong that it made the attendants salivate profusely.</p><p>The elders were there to ensure that the rituals were carried out in the correct way. Clan leaders and their warriors shared the table. Mahok'sa, with iron rings piercing his eyebrows, was at the head of the table with Adhi'nata at his side.</p><p>The large, muscular <em> Yaksa </em> had an imposing presence, even though he was not wearing his mask carved in the shape of a bull's head, with large horns protruding from the sides. The rest of his armor was decorated with <em> Krmih </em> fangs. He congratulated elder Adhi’nata with a loud pat on the back. The other leader clicked with pride.</p><p>K'satr carved himself a large chunk of the beast and a servant filled a goblet with a phosphorescent yellow liquid. He raised the goblet, and toasted his fallen son:</p><p>-"<em> Sm’rtiPaya Ri’ti </em> . Remember the god’s practices: Honor and strength," he quoted, then added " <em> J'yok </em>, Gathok!’"</p><p>-”<em> J’yok </em>!!” the rest of the attendants chanted.</p><p>Soon, the <em> Kha’Dga </em>was stripped clean of all the meat.</p><p>Rava’an was led to another room where he would prepare for the ceremony. Two young females were there, both a head shorter than Rava'an, the first had yellowish skin with ochre spots and brown short dreadlocks, the other was a bluish black color with dark blue stripes and long purple dreadlocks, reaching her thighs.</p><p>They stripped him of his filthy armor and loincloth, ripping it off without preamble.</p><p>-"<em>V'rta</em> <em>Yabh</em>?!" Rava'an exclaimed "Watch it!"</p><p>The servants did not take notice of his protests, they were fully immersed in their work. They didn't even stop to look at his<em> ze’pha </em> , even sheathed inside the <em> V’rdhi </em>the organ was sizable. One took him by the hands and pushed him into a travertine pool with crystal clear water at the center of the room and both cleaned the blood and sweat stains from his body.</p><p>The dark skinned female stripped herself of her loincloth. She had a fairly muscular body with barely noticeable breasts and black quills around her pink colored <em> yon-i </em>. She entered into the tub to continue with the task of rubbing him with a rough sponge and exfoliating his scales. Rava'an did not know if it was part of the ritual to have the small female focused on the parts around his genitals, just close enough to excite him but avoiding touching him directly.</p><p>His <em> ze’pha </em> hardened and unsheathed slowly. Immediately, the female focused on that zone, massaging the quills surrounding the now protruding organ. Stimulating the tiny, fleshy appendages produced a surge of adrenaline and oxytocin in the male’s brain. He was experiencing the feeling previous to <em> Div’ra </em>, and growled in response. Suddenly the female stopped before the act was consummated.</p><p>-”Get up, my lord,” she said “You’re ready now.”</p><p>The other female put a robe on him made of a firm, yet unknown skin, tied together with a leather strip. Then they brought a bowl with a strange purple and red globular shaped plant. The females pounded it into a pulp and gave it to him.</p><p>-"Eat it, my lord. It will help..." said the yellowish skinned female.</p><p>They both released the typical clicking of someone keeping a secret.</p><p>-"What's this?" He asked, suspiciously, but they remained silent.</p><p>-"Do it" the female ordered, seeing the young's hesitation. "You're going to need that or you might end up dead."</p><p>"Maybe I should have visited a brothel before," Rava'an thought. It was common for young male <em> Yaksa </em> to "train" with untied females before mating.</p><p>He had heard about a planet where one could mate with females from other species*, but Rava'an had brushed it off as phony gossip. Even worse, he had heard stories about some males that trained with female <em> Nara </em>'s. To his clan that was akin to mating with an animal.</p><p>He ate the plant and waited...</p><p> </p><p>- o -</p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile, Anu'sha was preparing in a separate room. Two older females bathed and cleaned her.</p><p>The herbs added to the water made her skin brighter and her musk stronger. If there was a male there, he would've become intoxicated by the fragrant scent.</p><p>The older females cladded her in a semi-translucent robe. They tied her dreadlocks into a thick braid and covered her <em> yon-i </em> with a seashell. She looked at her reflection in a large silver mirror: “I am ready,” she said to herself.</p><p>Unlike Rava'an, Anu'sha did have a vague idea of what would happen. One old female had brought the well prepared <em> Ze'pha </em> of the <em> Krmih </em>into the room. The hard, leathery consistency of the appendage disappeared once cooked, giving off a strong aroma that Anu'sha knew was due to the hormonal content. The old female warned her not to eat it until they were about to mate, because the effects were almost immediate.</p><p>By consuming the organ, the hormones increased the procreative capacity of the females, making their fertile cycle culminate.</p><p>Rava'an was brought into her presence. Upon entering, he admired the female’s body that would soon be his. The servants left the room and sealed the entrance, he supposed it was to avoid interruptions.</p><p>He approached Anu'sha and drank in her exquisite body once more. <em> Paya </em> , her scent was intoxicating! He noticed the orichalcum platter with the <em> ze’pha </em>and offered it to her, it was the custom. Anu'sha took a piece of meat and ate it, it was soft and had a savory taste.</p><p>The effects were almost immediate, Rava'an smelled her musk’s strength increase and felt an adrenaline rush, like the excitement before a match, but it passed quickly. Something was not right. Could it be a side effect of that plant the young women gave him? It was like feeling tremendous fury only to calm down the next second... The feeling gradually disappeared.</p><p>He stripped off his robe, ready to begin the act of mating and claim the female. His hearts stuttered in his chest and he hoped she wouldn't hear how the blood was rushing through his head. Anu'sha disrobed without hesitation. Rava'an was excited to see her standing there almost naked, with only a small shell covering her <em> yon-i </em>.</p><p><em> Paya </em> ! He was going to enjoy every moment of it, he was salivating even more than when they brought in the cooked <em> Kha’Dga. </em> To not drool visibly, Rava'an had to swallow hard. The young female finally tossed aside the shell and Rava'an stared at her light blue <em> yon-i </em> , surrounded by dark blue quills. Directly above it she had a small lotus flower scarification. That was unexpected but not unusual, many young females got <em> yon-i </em> tattoos or made marks in their erogenous zones. Rava'an noticed that she was looking at his erect <em> ze'pha </em> . It swelled some more under her scrutiny and  he twitched it to see how she would react. Anu'sha's face, however, looked completely blank. She was feeling the first effects of the <em> Krmih </em>.</p><p>Rava'an approached with the intention of bending her down on the floor, to claim her as his female…but he ended up flying to the other side of the room when Anu'sha gave him a hard kick in the abdomen and roared in defiance.</p><p>Rava'an rose quickly only to receive another punch from the muscular female. Drops of phosphorescent blood spattered the floor of the room.</p><p>-"V<em>'rta</em> <em>Yabh</em>!" He exclaimed.</p><p>-"Fight!" she responded, growling and launched into another attack.</p><p>Now he understood! How could he have been so naive? Unlike the leisurely pleasurable sex that most <em> Yaksa </em>practiced, creating a new life required a massive dose of hormones to ensure a successful pregnancy, but it also had a peculiar side effect.</p><p>The substance stimulated the basal ganglia in charge of regulating mating processes, but also bolstered the instincts of aggression, dominance and territoriality. The only way to counteract the effects of an excited basal ganglia was with a dose of the pleasure hormone, released during <em> Div’ra </em>.</p><p>The pain in his chest started to dissipate. Soon Rava’an only felt a slight tickle. That plant he ate must have had analgesic effects. Females could be even more violent than males. Now he understood why the young servant giggled when she said "<em> Eat it, my lord. It will help... </em>"</p><p>-”You have to defeat me, warrior,” she taunted him. “This is not a trial and I’m not a <em> Gallu </em>. You have to win this time.”</p><p>Rava'an spread his arms out in acceptance of the challenge and roared. They began the dance around each other. Anu'sha spread her lower mandibles and threw back her thick braid.</p><p>Rava'an feinted and tried to capture her, only to be grabbed by the arm and thrown against the wall. He recovered quickly and jumped, landing right in front of Anu'sha. He took her by the shoulders and quickly positioned himself behind her. She headbutted him and the young male fell on his back, but when Anu'sha turned to face him, he knocked her down with a sweep of his right leg.</p><p>Rava'an quickly pounced on her and pinned her to the ground. The female growled angrily and bit him between the shoulder and neck. Rava'an pulled her long braid to wriggle out from the bite, but that seemed to only excite her.</p><p>-"You can do better," she teased him, his blood dripping from her mouth.</p><p>Without releasing her, he flipped Anu'sha onto her stomach and positioned himself behind her once more, firmly pressing his body against hers. Her strong musk made his head swim and he almost forgot to hold her put.</p><p>He bit her hard on the thicker patch of skin on her neck, piercing the hide with the four fangs on his jaws. Green blood trickled along his mandibles and the bitter taste filled his mouth. She gave a drawn out grunt of pleasure.</p><p>But Anu'sha would not allow herself to be defeated so easily, even when he pressed his <em> ze'pha </em>against her firm ass, the female did not cease her squirming. </p><p>She hissed at him, "Are you male enough to rut, or is it just one of your talons I feel poking me?" </p><p>Rava'an growled at her and pressed himself harder against her behind. He would show her he was wielding a spear thicker than a measly talon! Without releasing his grip, he pressed a knee between her legs and with a wiggling movement he opened them, revealing her glistening <em> yon-i </em> . Before she could break free, he thrust his <em> ze'pha </em>into the dripping hole. The contact between his hard organ and her smooth inner walls sent an electric shock that ran through Anu'sha's entire body, making her shudder and groan.</p><p>Rava'an began a rhythmic pumping and Anu'sha responded with frantic movements, trying to break free. He took both her arms and crossed them on her back so that she was firmly held. She roared, but the sound was more from pleasure than agitation, he seemed to excite her even more by the move.</p><p>The hard pounding caused her to shudder and moan into the mat. Her <em> Di'vra </em> was approaching fast. Rava'an could feel her inner walls clench on his hammering <em> ze'pha </em>. She had relaxed under him and was now meeting his thrusts by lifting up her rear towards him. Suddenly she released  a deep growl, so primitive it seemed to come from another world. With her brain flooded with pleasure hormones, she managed to turn around and pin down Rava'an against the mat. She mounted him with one swift move and pressed him hard against the ground. Rava'an felt his lungs collapse.</p><p>Just before he lost consciousness, Rava'an felt the characteristic tingle of his essence rising up his <em> ze'pha </em> . The warm liquid gushed out with explosive force into the smooth cavity of her <em> yon-i </em> . Anu'sha must have felt it because she entered the state of <em> Div'ra </em>one final time. They both groaned in unison, before Rava'an passed out.</p><p>- o -</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Kha'Dga - Rhino like beast, Rynth<br/>Sm’rtiPaya Ri’ti - Remember the god’s practices: Honor and strength<br/>J’yok! - Cheers!, Hooray! (?)<br/>V'rta Yabh? - What the fuck? (Expression)<br/>V’rdhi - Scrotum, zepha’s sheath.<br/>Div’ra - Orgasm</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Together they would watch everything that was so carefully planned collapse, and they would smile at the beauty of destruction.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>― Markus Zusak, </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Book Thief</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Twenty second </b>
  <b>
    <em>Yuga</em>
  </b>
  <b>, </b>
  <b>
    <em>Yaksa</em>
  </b>
  <b> calendar (1624 C.E. Earth Date) Mating chamber, Elder Vaharaya’s palace.</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rava'an leaned back on the cushions, totally exhausted. To make things worse, the pain in his chest had increased, he was sure one rib was broken.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was the third time they had achieved </span>
  <em>
    <span>Div'ra together</span>
  </em>
  <span>. After the wild and exciting first experience, it was no longer necessary for Anu'sha to consume more of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Krmih's </span>
  </em>
  <span>appendage</span>
  <span>. The already absorbed hormones were sufficient for several more encounters, but the side effects were fading, before this happened, Anu'sha took the initiative for another round.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She pushed Rava'an, making him fall back over the cushions on the floor. Before he could protest, she spread his legs and massaged his still half-hard </span>
  <em>
    <span>ze'pha </span>
  </em>
  <span>with both hands, careful not to over-squeeze the sensitive organ. A surge of oxytocin flooded Rava’an’s brain, he grunted with pleasure as blood made him swell once more.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When he was ready, she held his legs firmly and sank down on the erect member, seating it deep inside her </span>
  <em>
    <span>yon-i.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He protested, because the position made it clear that she was the one who was mating with him and not the other way around, but Anu'sha ignored his weak objections and kept grinding hard against Rava'an's crotch, using her legs as a lever. Each slide increased the pain in his chest, now if he was sure that something was broken, but his moans were muffled by the avid grunts of the female.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After they reached climax, Anu’sha stood up, and the thick, strongly-scented liquid trickled down the inside of her legs and dripped onto Rava'an's lower belly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-”Your performance has been quite excellent so far, </span>
  <em>
    <span>K’setra</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” she purred with a pleased tone and leaned back on the pillows invitingly. “Do as you please. You’ve earned it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rava’an clicked his mandibles in regard, her submission was even more arousing than their first encounter. He found himself hungry for her body again. Perhaps he wasn't good at slaying beasts, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>Paya</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he knew how to please a female… “</span>
  <em>
    <span>No, not just a common female, but Her. The most coveted female of the clan."</span>
  </em>
  <span> As Anu’sha laid over the cushions, legs spread open for him and him alone, Rava'an ignored the stabbing pain in his chest and took her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This time, however, he kept a slower pace, prolonging the act. Anu’sha placed her firm legs on Rava'an's shoulders and he delved deeper inside her than he'd ever been. When he thrust, his whole </span>
  <em>
    <span>ze'pha </span>
  </em>
  <span>stretched her channel to the limit, their bellies smacked together rhythmically. Anu'sha lowered her legs and wrapped them around his hips. Her throaty growls drove him wild. Rava'an couldn't get enough of her arousing sounds, toned body and soaked </span>
  <em>
    <span>yon-i</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He took her in his arms and lifted her upright, continuing to slam into her as if his life depended on finding release.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A few moments later, after a draining climax where Anu'sha tore eight new, deep claw-marks onto his back, they finally decided to join the ongoing party. Anu’sha’s father and the rest of the Elders would certainly want proof of their consummation. They wanted to know if she was bearing a suckling. Rava'an and Anu'sha put on robes and loincloths before they stepped out of the mating chamber. Immediately, a chorus of loud cheers erupted in the celebration hall. The elders formed a circle around them and awaited Anu'sha as she walked to the center of the circle and in one swift movement got rid of her robe. The silken cloth slid over her shoulders down to her hips. She pointed to the four puncture wounds on the back of her shoulders, where Rava’an had bitten her during mating. Phosphorescent blood still dripped from the fresh marks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>An elderly </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yaksi </span>
  </em>
  <span>closed in Anu’sha and examined the marks, making sure they weren’t fake, she collected a few drops of blood and tasted them and sniffed her </span>
  <em>
    <span>yon-i</span>
  </em>
  <span>. After a few moments she nodded at the Elders.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-”</span>
  <em>
    <span>Jyok</span>
  </em>
  <span>!!” Vaharaya growled, followed by the rest of the guests, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Jyok</span>
  </em>
  <span> Rava’an </span>
  <em>
    <span>yak’Sa</span>
  </em>
  <span>! </span>
  <em>
    <span>Jyok </span>
  </em>
  <span>Anusha </span>
  <em>
    <span>yak’Si</span>
  </em>
  <span>!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The expression was like a victory chant to Rava'an. Now he was truly a Yaksa -or <em>Yaksi</em> in the case of females. At last he was considered a full grown member of their society in all terms and no longer a child. He could take part in higher and more dangerous trials, like the Chieftainship test. He did not hold back and gave a victorious roar, Anu'sha did the same before the group of females.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Elder Vaharaya stood up and with his open palm ordered silence, when the chorus ceased their chanting, he announced:</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>- "Let the celebration continue! The </span>
  <em>
    <span>Kehrite </span>
  </em>
  <span>is open!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The attendees surrounded the combat arena in the next room, where anyone who wanted to fight could do so.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A green colored </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yaksa </span>
  </em>
  <span>called Ha’rith stepped in, his opponent, a yellow-brown colored hunter from the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Kau’Tika clan </span>
  </em>
  <span>called R’Sita, jumped into the arena. They saluted each other and let out defiant roars. Ha’rith striked first, punching R’Sita's abdomen, but before Ha'rith could take a defensive position, R'sita used both fists to hammer the warrior's skull. He fell, but took a hold of his opponent's ankles during the drop and pulled them, making R'Sita fall backwards.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ha'rith scrambled to his feet and kicked the fallen </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yaksa </span>
  </em>
  <span>hard, he only managed to cover himself with his hands and slide a few </span>
  <em>
    <span>noks</span>
  </em>
  <span> across the stone floor. The hunter rose, touching his chest with one hand and spat out phosphorescent blood. He growled, flaring his jaws and attacked again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>R’Sita charged, this time kicking his opponent's side. After three missed hits, he spun around and kicked Ha'rith square in the face.The mighty warrior flew sideways out of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Kehrite</span>
  </em>
  <span>... R'Sita had won. The crowd celebrated the bout with roars and chants.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rava'an was euphoric, had it not been for the broken rib left by Anu'sha, he would have headed to the arena for a friendly match with one of his fellow clanmates. Instead, he set out to enjoy a juicy piece of the cooked </span>
  <em>
    <span>Kha'Dga</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The attack came without warning. The semi-translucent walls of the palace flickered and suddenly darkened. Before the assembled </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yaksa </span>
  </em>
  <span>could wonder what was going on, there was an explosion and the vaulted ceiling collapsed. Elder Vaharaya barely avoided being crushed by a large block of stone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"We're under attack!" The Elder bellowed. "Warriors, prepare for battle!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"Damn </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasas</span>
  </em>
  <span>!" Adi'Natha growled, spotting the first two assailants descend from the broken ceiling. "I should've known they would try something like this!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The warriors carried long, organic looking plasma blasters. Their armor was similar to the one Ujesh' wore. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Deva</span>
  </em>
  <span> in origin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The assembled </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yaksa</span>
  </em>
  <span> readied their weapons. The few who had brought their </span>
  <em>
    <span>Vaj'ra</span>
  </em>
  <span> cannons fired. Blue bolts of overheated plasma bisected the room, leaving hot white streaks in the air. The bolts made contact with the supreme armor and dissolved on impact, causing only minor damage to the attackers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"In the name of the Black Warrior, I will avenge my son's death!" K'satr exclaimed. The Elder charged against the old </span>
  <em>
    <span>raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span> who was present during the </span>
  <em>
    <span>swayambar</span>
  </em>
  <span>. "Starting with you, and then that coward you have for master!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rava’an didn’t spot Ujesh', that traitorous vermin probably would be in the ship hovering the city, having only sent his henchmen to do the dirty work. Kishen', fired his rifle against the old chieftain, hitting his right shoulder with a sizzling blast. His arm fell to the floor, and a second burst turned K'satr's head into a cloud of greenish vapour.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"Kill them all!" Elder Vaharaya ordered, having recovered from the commotion. The esteemed leader fired a double tipped speargun at Kishen'. The projectiles from the rapid-firing weapon punctured the tiny exposed zone between his chestplate and the waist guard. Kishen' roared and retreated, a </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span> female called Kapa'lika took his place and roared threateningly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The female was imposing: dark brown skin speckled with crimson scales. The crest of her jagged skull was crowned with long blood red dreadlocks. Her armor was of the same design as her clanmates, but she wore a skull necklace and a skirt made of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Nara </span>
  </em>
  <span>femurs dangled from her belt.Most frightening of all, her left shoulder pad had a </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yaksa</span>
  </em>
  <span> skull mounted on the curved metal plate. Her weapon was a long </span>
  <em>
    <span>orichalcum </span>
  </em>
  <span>spear fashioned to resemble a spine.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-”I will add your skull to my collection,” Kapa’lika taunted the Elder. “At last, the moment we have waited for has arrived!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-”The only thing you’ll take is one of my blades to your chest! I will feed my </span>
  <em>
    <span>Z’van</span>
  </em>
  <span> with your </span>
  <em>
    <span>R’daya</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” the Elder responded, and in that same moment, his two huge mastiffs attacked the female.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One of the dogs bit Kapa’lika’s right arm and the other did the same with her left thigh. She dropped the spear but immediately landed a punch to the dog that was latched on her arm. The animal released her momentarily and launched itself back into the attack. Its charge was thwarted by a flying </span>
  <em>
    <span>cha'kra </span>
  </em>
  <span>that took its head clean off. The disc-weapon belonged to Kishen', who had recuperated enough to return to the fight. Kapa'lika tried to kick loose from the other mastiff, but the animal wouldn't budge. She managed to pick up her spear and pierce the animal's neck. The mastiff fell to the floor, with a bit of flesh from Kapa’lika’s leg trapped in its maw.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>- o -</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rava'an, Anu'sha, Skan'dha and others were pinned down by enemy fire at the far end of the room. A </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa </span>
  </em>
  <span>with a half burned face was shooting them with a particle beam rifle with barbaric customizations. Rava'an saw a sharp blade fixed to the weapon’s butt, and a </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sak’ti </span>
  </em>
  <span>attached to the muzzle as a bayonet, once its battery was drained it could be used as a melee weapon in close quarters combat with devastating effect. None of them had their plasma casters, and their ranged weapons were useless against that class of armor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rava'an looked around, trying to find a way to defend himself and Anu'sha. Above them, on the wall,  Anu'sha's sire's weapons collection still hung on display. He recalled when the Elder had told him he had killed a </span>
  <em>
    <span>Deva</span>
  </em>
  <span> with one of those. Anu'sha apparently had the exact same thought.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"This </span>
  <em>
    <span>Cha'kra</span>
  </em>
  <span>," She said and took the weapon from the case before tossing it to him. "Sire killed one of them with it. It could pierce their armor, but you're gonna need a targeting system."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"There!" Rava'an said, pointing to K'satr's body. The warrior wasn't using his mask when he was killed and it was still hanging on his belt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"You have to be fast," Anu'sha told him. "Maybe I should be the one to do it, you're hurt," she said, referring to his broken rib.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rava'an refused, although he was injured, he would not stand there and do nothing. Anu’sha clicked in frustration, as always, the males underestimated her. She would have to make them understand she was a force to be reckoned with.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-”I'll distract him long enough for you to get ready," she whispered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"I will not fail."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anu'sha got up, exposing her body to enemy fire, which attracted the attention of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa.</span>
  </em>
  <span> They immediately opened fire, but Anu'sha dodged it by jumping to a stone pillar. Rava'an watched her mesmerized. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Paya! She is fast.</span>
  </em>
  <span>" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Indeed, the female had fast reflexes, almost as if she could guess when the shooter would fire next, she evaded the burst by jumping to the next column.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rava'an snapped out of his daydreaming. He needed to focus on the plan. When he was sure Anu'sha had the killer's full attention, he rushed forward. With a nimble jump, he skipped the overturned stone table and some other obstacles, then swept down when enemy fire passed right over it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Jyok</span>
  </em>
  <span> K’satr </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yaksa, Smrti’Paya Riti</span>
  </em>
  <span>” He prayed to the fallen warrior’s body and only then, he took the mask and put it on, the world was transformed into a palette of blue tones with orange and reddish spots, the plasma of the shots flashed in bright white balls.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Yabh</span>
  </em>
  <span>!" Rava'an exclaimed, taking cover, as the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span> discovered his intentions and was now alternating shots between him and Anu'sha.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anu'sha reacted instinctively when she saw Rava'an take enemy fire. In the few seconds that the killer turned his attention to Rava'an, she jumped from the column and landed right next to their attacker. She tightened her right arm around the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span>'s neck, forcing him to drop the particle rifle. He fought to slip away from Anu'sha’s grip and tried to butt her with his head, but it was useless, the female had him firmly held.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rava'an couldn't launch the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Cha'kra</span>
  </em>
  <span> without risking hitting Anu'sha, the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span>’s plasma cannon activated and spun, targeting the female behind him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"Throw it!" Anu'sha yelled, “We don't have much time!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rava'an took aim and threw the disc, but not at them, but higher. Anu'sha understood what he had planned and without letting go of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she supported her legs on his back and jumped, just as the weapon flew overhead. She caught it in the air, made a complete turn, and with the same energy redirected it towards the head of their opponent.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The head fell cleanly off and tumbled to the ground. His </span>
  <em>
    <span>Vaj'ra</span>
  </em>
  <span> cannon shot without hitting any target just before the body fell limply to the stone floor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Across the hall, another drama was unfolding.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>- o -</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Elder Vaharaya focused on Kapa'lika, his warriors were engaged in battle with the other </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span>. The female was larger and stronger, but she was injured by his mastiffs, and the Elder was agile, although many cycles had passed since his last combat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"I will send you to Cetanu slowly and painfully," Kapa'lika taunted him, limping slightly due to her wounds.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"He’ll be pleased when I give him your head as a gift when I finally meet him, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasi,</span>
  </em>
  <span>" the Elder responded. "You talk too much, Fight!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kapa'lika roared and flared her mandibles, she hung her blaster and unsheathed a huge scythe-like </span>
  <em>
    <span>H'rpe</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Vaharaya extended a long </span>
  <em>
    <span>Dah’kte </span>
  </em>
  <span>from his wrist gauntlet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They circled each other, looking for the right moment to attack, then Kapa'lika struck with an up-and-down swipe that Vaharaya blocked with his blade. The clash of metal on metal produced a shower of sparks. Vaharaya threw a punch to the female's abdomen, but she responded with a hammer punch to the Elder's back. Vaharaya fell to the ground and rolled away, avoiding another blow from Kapa'lika's </span>
  <em>
    <span>H'rpe</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"You are fast Elder," Kapa'lika shouted, "but that won’t matter." The </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasi</span>
  </em>
  <span> swiped again with her weapon and missed. Vaharaya stood up quickly and kicked her legs, making her fall to her knees. The Elder drew back his blade to cut off her head, but Kapa'lika reacted and captured both of his hands tightly. The evenly matched wagrappled for a moment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"Today, everyone will die, Elder, starting with you," she hissed, and Kapa'lika's </span>
  <em>
    <span>Vaj'ra</span>
  </em>
  <span> cannon hummed into action as she aimed it directly at Vaharaya's face.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hello again Readers, I hope you did enjoy this chapter, thanks to iterations for the editing and expanding the sex/action scenes. The end is near and two more chapters to go, well... one chapter and the epilogue.<br/>But don't worry, this unierse had a lot stories left: iterations is working on a WWII story and I still have the Ice Age/Ancient predator story plus one crossover more.</p>
<p>In case you didn't get them, here's the yaksa glossary.</p>
<p>Div'ra - orgasm<br/>Jyok! - Hooray! farewell (expression)<br/>Yaksi - Female predator.<br/>Kau'tika - Poacher, skin hunters. They hunt creatures for their skin and sell them.<br/>Raksasi - a female bad blood<br/>R'daya - Heart<br/>H'rpe - Scythe-like scimitar<br/>Dah'kte - Wristblade.</p>
<p>Don't forget to comment!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Grudges are for those who insist that they are owed something; forgiveness, however, is for those who are substantial enough to move on.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>― Criss Jami, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Salomé: In Every Inch In Every Mile</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Twenty second </b>
  <b>
    <em>Yuga</em>
  </b>
  <b>, </b>
  <b>
    <em>Yaksa</em>
  </b>
  <b> calendar (1624 C.E. Earth Date) Elder Vaha'raya’s throne room.</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>-”Today," she straightened, "everyone will die," her head turned ever so slightly towards the Elder, "Starting with </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>!" Kapa'lika hissed, and her </span>
  <em>
    <span>Vaj'ra</span>
  </em>
  <span> cannon hummed into action as she aimed it directly at Vaha’raya's face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Vaha'raya reacted quickly, kicking at the female's ankle, knocking her off balance just as the cannon fired. The superheated ball of plasma barely missed the Elder's head, tearing off a dreadlock from his crest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Clan leader put a hand to his wound to stifle the bleeding. At that moment Kapa'lika regained her balance and kicked him in the chest, causing him to fall on his back. He used his final strength to roar viciously at his opponent as she wiped the blood splatter from her face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Yabh!</span>
  </em>
  <span>" She exclaimed. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Mur'kha Je'kainde</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Vaha'raya.” She planted her foot on the Elder’s chest and spat, “First you reject me,” she applied her considerable weight to his ribs. They crunched alarmingly, “then my abilities." She leaned down to better glare at him, "and today you even dare to turn your back on Cetanu himself."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"So that's what it's all about for you," Vaha'raya said with contempt, "Pure and vile revenge,” and then he added, “You have everything it takes to be a </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasi</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Several cycles before, Kapa’lika had been part of their clan. She was an excellent warrior; strong, proud and fearless. Every male adored her and outdid themselves to gain just a moment of her attention. It was no secret that she’d had her eyes on Vaha'raya, the eldest son of the former Clan Leader, but the custom dictated that it was they who requested the female and not the other way around.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kapa'lika however, refused to submit to tradition. She came to Vaha'raya's chambers one night, wearing nothing but a sheer, translucent mesh. That night they became sexually involved but as it turned out, young Vaharaya was more interested in his career. In the end, he chose it over the female.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This infuriated Kapa', who refused to give up her affection so easily. She thought that perhaps if she could be admitted as </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ngar'ika, </span>
  </em>
  <span>a hunter of honorless criminals, Vaha'raya would understand that they were perfect for each other. However, her impulsive nature and taste for unnecessary violence caused the council to reject her, with the final vote at the hands of Vaha'raya himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This was the last straw for the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yaksi</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she defected from her clan and joined other rejects under the Raksasa S'harva's command.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-”</span>
  <em>
    <span>Get back to the ship,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ujesh’ voice crackled through Kapa’lika’s mask. ”</span>
  <em>
    <span>We have what we came looking for.</span>
  </em>
  <span>" The rest of the strike force began to retreat, leaping through the hole in the ceiling. She remained where she was, intending to finish what she had started.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"Not until I get my revenge!" She flared her mandibles in response, her eyes were like fire.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"I said come back!" Ujesh' snarled. He did not like being disobeyed or challenged. "They will be dead soon anyway..." He lowered his voice ominously, "You too if you don't obey."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>- "Very well, old fool, the time has come," she said, looking down at the fallen leader, "let's get this over with." She wielded her </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ki'cti-pa</span>
  </em>
  <span> with the intention of driving it straight into Vaha's chest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Across the room, Anu'sha growled at the sight of her prone father and the fate that awaited him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kapa'lika snarled as she plunged her spear deeply into the Leader's chest, nailing him to the floor until the shaft of the weapon buried almost half its length into his body. The Elder roared thunderously, his eyes darkened with disdain. Kapa’ removed her mask and leaned down slightly, she wanted the dying leader to see the look of satisfaction on her face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her victory was however short-lived. Vaha'raya’s beady eyes narrowed momentarily before they widened and he drew up his arm with surprising speed. He smiled back at Kapa’ and grabbed the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasi</span>
  </em>
  <span> surprisingly by her skull necklace.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-”What are-?!” Kapa’ grunted in surprise, realizing the Elder's intentions.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"You craved my arms once,” he mocked, his voice rasping, “You dare to reject them now?" Using the last of his strength, he pulled his old lover onto him and impaled her on the double tipped spear. She roared in pain as she sunk down on its length.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-”You will die as you lived,” the Elder recited to her, coughing and glaring at her directly into her eyes, “with a broken heart...” He exhaled one last time before his eyes glazed over and the old Clan Leader grew still.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kapa'lika shuddered and made a final attempt to break free. The jerky movements made her slip on her own blood and she drove herself further down on the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Kic’ti-pa</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Finally her body relaxed, blood spurted from her mouth, splattering Vaha’raya’s lax face. She took one gurgling breath before she too died.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anu’sha rushed to where her father's body lay and gave a prayer for the great warrior: "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Jyok</span>
  </em>
  <span> Vaha’raya! </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sm’rtiPaya Ri’ti.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Jyok</span>
  </em>
  <span> Vaha’raya,” Rava’an repeated while bending down on one knee. He bowed his head to give his respects to their former leader. There was no time to mourn. His face turned quickly to Anu'sha, who was still curled over her father's body. Rava'an stood up resolutely and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Come, the fight isn’t over.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The rest of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span> fled the scene and abandoned the place, climbing over the rubble. Adhi’nata and the other surviving warriors went after them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"They are running away!" Anu'sha exclaimed, "</span>
  <em>
    <span>M'rkata</span>
  </em>
  <span> cowards! They don't like to fight on equal terms." Her eyes moved from the retreating Raksasa to her Sire's weapons display. The wall that had been filled with ancient weapons was now completely empty. The thieves had stolen his entire collection!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"They aren't running away, that </span>
  <em>
    <span>Vermin</span>
  </em>
  <span>..." Rava'an said, referring to Ujesh’, "He has ordered them back to the ship." He climbed onto the collapsed roof and used the mask's sensors to track the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span>’s spacecraft high above them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>- "They have a </span>
  <em>
    <span>Deva</span>
  </em>
  <span> warship!" Anu'sha exclaimed, after putting on her mask and climbing up beside him. They saw the individual fighters used by the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span> dock with the mothership.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The </span>
  <em>
    <span>Deva</span>
  </em>
  <span> warship was nothing like the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Jag'd'dja</span>
  </em>
  <span> or </span>
  <em>
    <span>Man'Dacas</span>
  </em>
  <span> used by the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yaksa</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Rather than sleek, elegant forms, this ship looked like an ode to destruction. It was shaped like a crescent moon, with a dented exterior made by multiple protrusions, giving it the appearance of being built out of bones. In fact, the aesthetics were very similar to the armor Ujesh' and his band of thieves wore. Rava'an stared at the mother ship as it hovered over the ruins of the citadel. How in the name of Cetanu would they be able to defend the city from enemies that had access to superior </span>
  <em>
    <span>Deva</span>
  </em>
  <span> technology? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>- o -</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-”Ujesh and his people will pay for this affront," the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yaksi</span>
  </em>
  <span> growled, clenching a fist and flaring her jaws, “Where’s your ship, warrior?” she asked Rava’an.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-”There,” He pointed to the nearest platform where a small </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ner’uda </span>
  </em>
  <span>class shuttle was situated.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>To him, it felt like an eternity had passed since he landed there to take part in the trial, although in reality just one </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ad'nam</span>
  </em>
  <span> had passed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>On the next platform Rava'an spotted his father as he rallied the remaining experienced warriors. Once they were all assembled, they headed for the main hangar, where their warships were parked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The city suddenly started to vibrate and a loud rumble echoed between the remaining buildings. Rava'an located the source of the sound to the nearby archipelago. A flock of birds rose squawking from the jungle on one of the islands, moments before the palms and trees shook.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Out of the thicket, a black object emerged, rising like a scorpion's tail. The upper end was bulbous with a tapered protrusion that gave it the appearance of a stinger. The rest of the structure was arched downward and ended in a sharp point.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>- "In the name of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Paya</span>
  </em>
  <span>, what is that ?!" Anu'sha exclaimed, her eyes widening in shock.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>- "I don't know, but it comes from the ancient temple!" Rava'an replied, equally astonished, "What have these </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span> done?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The huge object kept ascending to meet Ujesh's ship until moments later it docked with the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Deva</span>
  </em>
  <span> warship.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sound of a horn blowing filled the air. All the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yaksa </span>
  </em>
  <span>directed their attention to the object over the city. An iris-shaped hatch opened at the bulbous end of the structure and from it, a myriad of disk-shaped drones flew down across the city.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The small robotic artifacts impacted each of the ships before they could even take off. The entire </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yaksa</span>
  </em>
  <span> fleet was destroyed in a matter of moments. Rava'an watched as Adi'natha was thrown out from the platform into the water by the force of the explosion of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ugra’danda</span>
  </em>
  <span>, his ship.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another ship, the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ijana,</span>
  </em>
  <span> managed to take off, but one of the drones pierced the right thruster and the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Man'daca</span>
  </em>
  <span> fell into the sea spinning on its axis.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The citadel's automated air defenses activated and opened fire on the object, but were rendered useless as more of the discs turned their attention to the plasma cannons sending them flying in a whitish-blue ball of fire.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>- "Ujesh’ has gone too far this time," Rava'an roared, shaking a fist in the air. "Those things only react to an attack." He said, pointing at one of the small projectiles, which made a sharp turn to avoid hitting a building stacked with non-combatants. The drones concentrated their fire on activated ships and point defense systems.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>- "What are they planning?" He asked out loud to no one in particular.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Neither Anu'sha nor Rava'an knew the answer, but inside the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Deva</span>
  </em>
  <span> ship, Ujesh' at last saw the culmination of a finely planned revenge.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>- o -</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Finally, this chapter is done, but the adventure continues. Thanks to iterations for the editing. Final showdown soon and wait for more stories of the Yaksa Saga. See you soon and don't forget to comment.</p>
<p>Glossary:<br/>Ad’nam - Day, planet cycle.<br/>Ijana - Sacrifice by fire.<br/>Jag'd'dja - Mothership, Clan-ship.<br/>Je'kainde - Stubborn.<br/>Jyok! - Hooray, greetings (expression)<br/>Ki'cti-pa - Combistick, a double tipped, retractable spear.<br/>Man'Daca - Scout ship, hunting party ship.<br/>Mur’kha - Useless (Insult)<br/>M’rkata - Monkey-like (Insult)<br/>Ner’uda - Shuttle, drop-ship.<br/>Ngar'ika - Enforcer (Rank)<br/>Raksasi - Female bad blood, m. pl. Raksasa.<br/>Sm’rtiPaya Ri’ti - God’s practice fulfilled (expression)<br/>Ugra’danda - The Relentless.<br/>Yabh - Fuck! (Curse, expression)<br/>Yaksi - Female warrior (pr. Iaot-yi) m. pl. Yaksa</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Generations of neglect for this feud have come back to stab us in the back in the form of one boy. One boy who lit the match for an apocalypse threatening our very species! One boy whose nightmarish reputation has plagued a country he has no right belonging to!</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>― Emory R. Frie. <em>Giant country</em></span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Twentieth second Yuga, Yaksa calendar (Circa 1624 C.E.) The day of the trial.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The small </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ner’uda</span>
  </em>
  <span> shuttle activated its cloaking system, rendering it invisible to the citadel's sensors. It descended back to the planet and landed in the jungle, a short distance from the temple where the trials were taking place.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"Are you sure this is the place?" Ganok' asked, a huge </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span> with such pale skin that it seemed to have been washed away. He was the second in command when Ujesh’ wasn't there. The </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span> onboard the shuttle stepped out into the jungle and Ganok' pointed towards the temple dome that jutted out from the canopy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"Ujesh' has sent confirmation," S’harva, Ujesh’s Sire and leader of the clan replied, "We have to hurry, while everyone is distracted.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ganok' and a group of five warriors entered the jungle, moving silently through the thick undergrowth. When they reached the boundary of the stone construction, they spotted a handful of Vaha'raya's warriors patrolling the temple. Even though the sentries were lightly armed, only carrying plasma cannons on their shoulders, the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span> remained hidden behind a leafy shrub.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-”Kill them quietly,” S’harva’ ordered, “we don't want to raise the alarm.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That meant using their energy weapons was out of the question. If anyone heard or saw the shot, the whole plan would be spoiled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ganok' drew a muted gray </span>
  <em>
    <span>Dha’nu</span>
  </em>
  <span> from its holster and pressed a button on the grip, the limbs of the weapon extended, drawing a thin metal string between the ends.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Firing a weapon like that required a lot of dexterity, since it lacked infrared sight and an automatic guidance system. An accurate shot depended entirely on the skill of the hunter, and Ganok' was an expert in that discipline.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The giant albino leapt to a high branch of a nearby tree. He squatted down and carefully loaded the weapon by putting a projectile on the string and pulling it taut.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The projectile was fired at surprising speed. The material from which it was made was so light that it barely whistled in the wind as it flew. It pierced the neck of its target cleanly, and the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yaksa</span>
  </em>
  <span> didn't even have time to see what was coming before his limp body collapsed to the ground.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ganok' grinned wickedly, clicking his jaws in a rapid movement and readied the next arrow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But the second</span>
  <em>
    <span> Yaksa</span>
  </em>
  <span> proved to be more difficult to eliminate. He stayed out of the line of fire, vigilantly patrolling one side of the temple. When he reached the corner, he saw his fallen comrade and immediately went on alert, scanning nearby trees with the sensors in his mask. In his visor, the jungle rendered into a blue-green canvas with a few yellow dots indicating birds. He didn't see anything out of the ordinary, until he looked up. At the top of a giant tree, he spotted a reddish patch perched on a branch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I see you," he announced. His helmet locked onto the target with a triangular marker.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A blue plasma ball shot out of the cannon on his shoulder, but Ganok' dodged it by jumping into another tree. Three more plasma bolts zizzled in the air and hit the branches but Ganok’ evaded them all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He drew another arrow quickly, took aim, and fired. The projectile tore through the air, striking the guard in his unprotected chest. The guard slumped, bleeding from his mouth.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-”Good work Ganok’,“ S'harva congratulated him after emerging from the bushes where he had been hiding. Ganok' climbed down from the tree and started to retrieve his arrows from the bodies, carefully putting them back in his quiver. He pulled out a ceremonial </span>
  <em>
    <span>H’rpe</span>
  </em>
  <span> from his belt and was about to collect one of the dead guard's heads as a trophy when S'harva stopped him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"There is no time for that, we must continue with the plan,” S'harva growled. The red-eyed albino snorted in resignation and holstered his weapon again, then followed the rest of the group into the temple through the semi-elliptical opening.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The giant was not particularly bright and was generally content to follow orders, but he did not understand why they were not simply assaulting the citadel. He and the rest of the clan were perfectly capable of defeating most of Vaha'raya's warriors  in hand to hand combat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>S’harva clicked in satisfaction once he got inside the cold, dark hallways of the temple. Somewhere in these ruins, his son was participating in the dogmatic ceremonies of the Yaksa. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mur'kha,</span>
  </em>
  <span> he thought, </span>
  <em>
    <span>why go to the trouble of performing a pointless ritual to get something that you can just take?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That way of thinking was what had ultimately lowered S'harva’s ancestors, great and honorable warriors, to becoming </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span>, bad bloods.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After the devastating war fought millennia ago, when the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Devas</span>
  </em>
  <span> almost became extinct and migrated to other parts of the universe, the clan declared that the technology and weaponry left behind by the ancient race belonged to them. Spoils of war, they proclaimed, and adapted the Deva technology to become more efficient hunters.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yaksa</span>
  </em>
  <span> council warned them that this technology was dangerous, that it endangered traditions and their way of life, but they ignored the warnings and when an uncontrolled hunt led to the extinction of a native species, the clan was branded </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span> and hunted almost to its total destruction by the </span>
  <em>
    <span>N'garika</span>
  </em>
  <span>, the enforcer caste.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>S’harva and the others were the descendants of those who survived.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once inside the temple, they continued through a tunnel until they reached a circular room with a large hole in the center. The water that condensed on the walls fell towards the bottom forming a waterfall inside the hole.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"It's inside the chasm?" Ganok' asked, looking down over the edge. S'harva consulted the three-dimensional diagram on his wrist computer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes," he said, "This conduit goes down to a maintenance and cargo corridor in the hangar."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The gigantic leader and his two burly warriors used ropes made of strong, yet lightweight, carbon fiber filaments to descend the shaft.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The corridor was dark, with walls similar to the ribs of a gigantic animal, illuminated only by a dim blue light.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Voices came from the corridor ahead. The leader made a sign with his hand and the others stopped. They activated their cloaking system, moments before two </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yaksa</span>
  </em>
  <span> monks appeared, carrying silver-gray urns. A series of geometric markings adorned each of the urns: </span>
  <em>
    <span>The language of the Deva</span>
  </em>
  <span>. S'harva held back a click of excitement.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He knew what was written on them and what the urns actually contained.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The monks disappeared into an adjacent corridor and the group of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span> headed towards where the clerics had come from.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>The old legends were true</span>
  </em>
  <span>, S'harva thought, as they reached the end of the curved corridor. The room they stepped out into was an ancient hangar. At the center of it, a huge </span>
  <em>
    <span>Deva</span>
  </em>
  <span> warship was situated. It hadn't been touched since the great war. Its semi-organic architecture gave it a sinister look. S'harva's group made their way to the three openings at its base and entered the artifact.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"Here it is!" S'harva exclaimed. His henchmen looked around in amazement. Row upon row of gray urns were piled up high in the ship's wide cargo hold. "Do not touch anything," the leader warned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ganok' withdrew his hands from the urn he had been about to touch. In the next compartment they discovered thousands of disc-shaped robotic drones. S'harva explained that they were a very powerful weapon.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>- "Ujesh'," The leader called his son and second in command over the intercom, "We have it. The last phase of the plan is ready to commence, at your signal."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In the arena, several stories above them, Ujesh 'clicked his jaws in response. He yanked his whip and the stone column it was curled around fell, crushing the last </span>
  <em>
    <span>Gallu</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>- o -</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Now</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"We have to rally the survivors," Rava’an said, pointing down to the platform where his father, Chief Adhi'nata, stood.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He and Anu’sha jumped from the tower of the palace to one of the domes below and from there to the platform. Chief Adhi'nata was helping a very old </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yaksa</span>
  </em>
  <span> up from the rubble. Rava'an recognized the Elder. His name was </span>
  <em>
    <span>R’sna</span>
  </em>
  <span>, his face was half burned from the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ugra’danda</span>
  </em>
  <span>’s explosion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"Is it over?" Anu'sha asked, seeing the destruction the warship had spread throughout the citadel. Smoldering remnants of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Man'daca</span>
  </em>
  <span> burned orange-red in the dim morning light.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>- "I don't think so," R’sna responded, "Those worms didn't go to so much trouble just to destroy our ships."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>R’sna was so old that some said that he had participated in the great war. He raised his head to the myriad of flying drones, now returning to the crescent-shaped dreadnought.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"I'm afraid </span>
  <em>
    <span>Akrama'na</span>
  </em>
  <span> is just one of the weapons that ship has," he said, pointing at the object floating high over the city, "What you faced in the arena, young </span>
  <em>
    <span>K’satra</span>
  </em>
  <span>, was just a taste of what </span>
  <em>
    <span>Deva</span>
  </em>
  <span> weapons can do."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"Scorpion men?" Rava'an asked, “What do those abominations have to do with this?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"If those </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa are able to</span>
  </em>
  <span> release that weapon on the citadel, it will be the end of our city," R’sna predicted, remembering something that happened a long time ago.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-”We have to board that ship,” Rava'an clenched his hand into a fist and looked up at Ujesh's floating warship.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Such impatience, young warrior," R'sna chuckled, "you don't want to snatch away this warrior's last chance of a glorious death, do you?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rava'an looked at him unamused. The Elder shed his cloak, showing off his torso full of scratch marks, old plasma burns and a huge scar that crossed his pectorals diagonally. Rava'an rubbed the wound on his face while he looked at the old injuries. R'sna had been wounded by an adult </span>
  <em>
    <span>dawon</span>
  </em>
  <span> and survived to tell the tale.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>- "Of course not, honored one," replied Rava'an, bowing his head, "how can we kill those worms if we don't board their ship? All of our vessels have been destroyed."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>- "My ship is still intact in the lower hangar," R'sna said. The old </span>
  <em>
    <span>yaksa</span>
  </em>
  <span> slung his triple-pointed spear across his back, adjusted his plasma cannon on his shoulder, and donned his bronzed mask. The face-plate was covered with inscriptions of his achievements. At any other time Rava'an would have liked to hear his stories, but they needed to find a way into the ship fast, before Ujesh' and his band of criminals killed them all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The chieftain wanted, like R'sna, to fight the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span> or die trying, but the old </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yaksa</span>
  </em>
  <span> let him know with a roar of defiance that he must protect the noncombatants from the impending threat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rava'an and Anu'sha looked at each other. They had never before seen anyone have the audacity to put Adhi'natha in his place. The chieftain agreed reluctantly to stay behind to help other survivors.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When R'sna started to climb a collapsed pillar to gain higher ground, Anu'sha and Rava'an did their best to keep up with the old hunter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The hangar R'sna spoke of was located at the bottom of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Saubha</span>
  </em>
  <span>, below the water level, so Rava'an inferred that they must pass through the flooded area.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The old </span>
  <em>
    <span>yaksa</span>
  </em>
  <span> headed for a maintenance shaft that led into a tunnel, which in turn led down to the lower levels. The hatch creaked open and a musty smell filled the noses of the youths. Without hesitation, R'sna leapt into the darkness and seconds later, Rava'an and Anu'sha did the same.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The tunnels were dimly lit by an amber-orange light, casting sinister shadows down the corridor. Their feet splashed on the soggy ground.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"No one has come down to this place in a long time," R'sna explained while trudging forward.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Entering a side corridor of curved walls filled with bas-reliefs, Rava'an paused for a moment to admire the engravings, which showed ancient battles.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One of the images caught his attention; the stylized figure of a female, or at least it seemed a female. She had a slim body with a slight bulge on the chest and long dreadlocks. The strange thing was that she was very small, at least two heads lower than the figure of the hunter represented next to her and she was piercing a </span>
  <em>
    <span>dawon</span>
  </em>
  <span>’s maw with a spear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rava'an ran one of his hands over the engraving, caressing the figure, </span>
  <em>
    <span>“who was she?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> he wondered, and he searched among the symbols to see if he could find her name.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"This way," the old </span>
  <em>
    <span>yaksa</span>
  </em>
  <span> indicated, interrupting his musings.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The corridor widened and started to lean up slightly. R'sna headed forward until they heard a soft click. The elder stopped instantly, meticulously searching the ceiling and walls. He ran a hand along the carved wall. When he showed the others his fingers, they gleamed with phosphorescent bloodstains.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"We’re not alone," he warned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anu'sha lowered her hand to the </span>
  <em>
    <span>cha'kra</span>
  </em>
  <span> hanging from her belt, while Rava'an readied his blades.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suddenly, a blue plasma ball hissed through the air and hit the veteran warrior in the shoulder. He grunted in pain and fell back, but got up quickly and fired three times towards the place where the shot came from.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"Show yourself!" he roared, "Fight me face to face, </span>
  <em>
    <span>raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span>!" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Another bolt of plasma came in response. It hit the floor, sending a shower of yellow sparks around the tunnel.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rava’an took the opportunity to locate the attacker and threw his disc. The weapon hit the raksasa in the shoulder, which disintegrated in a shower of blue sparks, his </span>
  <em>
    <span>vaj'ra</span>
  </em>
  <span> cannon was destroyed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The </span>
  <em>
    <span>raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span> roared furiously at being discovered. Rava'an saw that it was the same one who had presented himself at the ceremony and during the attack had been wounded by Elder Vaha'raya.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"Kishen'," R'sna snarled, "always attacking from the shadows."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kishen' activated his blades and lunged at the old </span>
  <em>
    <span>yaksa</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Despite his age, R'sna proved to be quite agile. He in turn activated his own blades and intercepted the attack, with a clash of metal on metal. Both enemies roared as they tried to take down the other.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kishen' kneed R'sna in the abdomen, but that did not bring him down. The elder took the chance to head butt him. Kishen' spat blood and fell to his knees with his face turned down. R'sna relaxed, thinking he had won, but Kishen' was just pretending to have been defeated. He activated an energy flechette from his wrist gauntlet and fired point-blank.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The energy projectile tore cleanly through one of R'sna's pectorals, narrowly missing one of his </span>
  <em>
    <span>r'daya</span>
  </em>
  <span>. R'sna responded by extending his triple-pointed spear and plunging it directly into the </span>
  <em>
    <span>raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span>'s mouth. Kishen's eyes widened when he realized he was dying, but he didn't have time to make a move because R'sna jerked the spear upwards, ripping off the killer’s head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The old </span>
  <em>
    <span>yaksa</span>
  </em>
  <span> gave a roar of victory as he showed his young companions the head and spine of his enemy dangling from the spear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rava'an and Anu'sha roared in response, the old yaksa was truly a formidable warrior. Rava'an bowed his head in reverence, perhaps one day he would become like him... If </span>
  <em>
    <span>Cetanu</span>
  </em>
  <span> didn't call him first.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Come," R'sna said, breathing heavily because of the wound, "There is no time to waste." They headed for the hangar, which was right up ahead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>- o -</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Welcome back! Finally after all these days. another chapter is done. Thanks to iterations for the editing, I hope you'd enjoy it.</p>
<p>Here's a glossary, of course.<br/>akra'mana - kind of defensive/offensive weapon<br/>cetanu - Lord of death<br/>cha'kra - Smart disc<br/>chi'kitsa - Medikit<br/>dha'nu - Composite bow.<br/>Ganok' - Troll, from the raramuri word ganoko, a stone giant.<br/>ner'uda - Shuttle<br/>n'garika - Enforcer.<br/>r'daya - Heart<br/>R'sna - Frenzy, Berserker<br/>ugra'danda - Relentless.<br/>vaj'ra - plasma caster.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Welcome back! Finally this chapter is done after a short holiday hiatus. Special thanks to iterations for her extensive editing.<br/>This is the first of the two part finale, It's written from Anu'sha's POV because I haven't done much justice to the character and I have delegated her to a trophy female (how dishonorable of me).<br/>In fact, female Predator are awesome, they could be larger than males and far more deadly, cunning and agile.<br/>Anyway, I hope you enjoy this one and see you soon!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Blessed be she who is both furious and magnificent.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>― Taylor Rhodes, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Calloused: a field journal</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Twentieth second </b>
  <b>
    <em>Yuga</em>
  </b>
  <b>, </b>
  <b>
    <em>Yaksa</em>
  </b>
  <b> calendar (Circa 1624 C.E.) </b>
  <b>
    <em>Saubha</em>
  </b>
  <b>’s lower hangar</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The trio of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yaksa</span>
  </em>
  <span> stepped into the cavernous hangar. A shallow layer of water covered the ground in the dimly lit place, but Anu’sha could see a shape in the gloom.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her chosen mate Rava'an, helped R’sna, who was wounded in the battle against the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa.</span>
  </em>
  <span> The old warrior leaned with an arm on the young man's shoulder. His face was twisted into a grumpy scowl, more from, having to receive help than for any injury sustained.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Typical male pride</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she thought. Throughout her life she had seen countless fine warriors succumb rather than show the slightest sign of weakness. At least the young man was more flexible about tradition: he was capable of bending the rules if the situation required it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"There it is," R'sna exclaimed, pointing with his spear at the ship, "the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ka'thorag</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ka'thorag</span>
  </em>
  <span> was small for a </span>
  <em>
    <span>ne'dtessei</span>
  </em>
  <span>-class dropship, but unlike these, it was well-equipped with plasma weaponry and an advanced cloaking system. In fact, the old R'sna had done an excellent job of turning the little utilitarian ship into a </span>
  <em>
    <span>stalker</span>
  </em>
  <span>-class, just as the ship’s name implied.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-”It’s old,” Rava’an said, “at least a thousand cycles.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-”You have no idea, youngling.” the warrior replied proudly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The elder settled into the controls while Anu'sha and Rava'an sat on the backseats. The ship's thrusters fired up, surprisingly quietly for a dropship. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ka'thorag</span>
  </em>
  <span> rose from the ground, aimed her nose at the hangar exit tunnel, and took off. Before heading out into the blue morning sky, R'sna pressed a few commands and the ship disappeared from view.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Through the viewports, Anu'sha saw the citadel in ruins from the attack. She could make out some of its inhabitants moving away from the destroyed city towards the islands, guided safely by Adhi'natha or Mahok'sa, the surviving elders. She wondered if they would both fight to the death for leadership when the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasas</span>
  </em>
  <span> had been dealt with. Adhi'natha was her father’s second in command, but Mahok'sa was well known for his exploits.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The little ship shook, interrupting Anu'sha's thoughts. R'sna was fighting at the controls due to his injuries, but the elder was tough. For a moment, she thought they would be shot down by the drones. The old </span>
  <em>
    <span>yaksa</span>
  </em>
  <span> seemed to guess her thoughts because he tried to reassure her,</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Akra'mana</span>
  </em>
  <span> can only be used once,” the elder coughed, “this is just turbulence."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"Just once?" Anu'sha couldn't help to surprisely spread her mandibles.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"Yes,” he coughed again, blood sprayed from his mouth, staining one of his shaking hands, “if those </span>
  <em>
    <span>raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span> try to activate the weapon again, their own ship will be destroyed." He paused while maneuvering the ship out of the turbulence, and then added, "You don't play with the technology of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>devas</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and even the damn killers know that."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anu'sha averted her eyes shamefully. There was so much she hadn't learned yet about the ancient city and the Great Deva war, there were thing don’t even her Sire didn’t know, but she would do her best to learn.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a privilege to be part of R'sna's group. She would take this opportunity to observe and learn from an esteemed elder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ka'thorag</span>
  </em>
  <span> continued ascending. Until now they had remained undetected but the problems would begin once they docked with the enemy ship. R'sna steered the craft toward the circular opening below the target.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"Get ready!" he warned, "Time to make those worms pay."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The </span>
  <em>
    <span>Deva</span>
  </em>
  <span> ship's main hatch was large enough for a small fighter like the</span>
  <em>
    <span> Ka'thorag</span>
  </em>
  <span> to enter, so R'sna sped straight for it. Behind him, Rava’an readied his spear and Anu'sha did the same with her </span>
  <em>
    <span>cha'kra</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasas</span>
  </em>
  <span> inside the cargo bay were caught off guard when the small ship materialized inside the hangar. The hatch opened, and the three </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yaksa</span>
  </em>
  <span> leapt out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-”Aaaarrrrgh”, R’sna let out a battle cry as he charged towards the nearest </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span>, “Die, you animals!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasas</span>
  </em>
  <span> roared in turn, surprised. One of them dropped the urn he was carrying and quickly drew his spear pistol, but R'sna was faster.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a sweep of his triple-pointed spear, he ripped through his opponent's belly. The </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span> fell to the ground spilling pale green insides.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>While R'sna was engaged in the fight, the second </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span> took the opportunity to shoot a plasma ball towards the old </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yaksa</span>
  </em>
  <span>, hitting his hand and causing him to drop his weapon. However, his victory was short. Anu'sha swiftly beheaded the bastard with her </span>
  <em>
    <span>cha’kra</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-”Watch out!” Anu’sha heard Rava’an shout in warning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anu’sha reacted and ducked just as a silvery projectile whistled past her head, narrowly missing her. She readied her </span>
  <em>
    <span>cha’kra</span>
  </em>
  <span> but another arrow tore it from her hand, the weapon slid on the floor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>From a walkway not far above them, the gigantic </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa </span>
  </em>
  <span>drew another arrow from his quiver into his </span>
  <em>
    <span>dha'nu</span>
  </em>
  <span>, aiming directly at the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yaksi</span>
  </em>
  <span>'s chest. Rava'an hurled his spear at the attacker with force, but the assassin spotted him and dodged it easily.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ganok’ changed his aim and fired at Rava’an. The young warrior growled when the bolt grazed his shoulder. The albino jumped off the walkway, landing with a heavy thud. He hung the </span>
  <em>
    <span>dha'nu</span>
  </em>
  <span> on his back and spread out his arms in defiance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"What do we have here? The old relic," he taunted with excitement, laying his reddish eyes on elder R'sna. “Had enough of living that long?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"You never get too old to collect the skull of a </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span>." R’sna replied, flaring his arms and mandibles, accepting the challenge.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-“Ujesh’, we have vermin on board.” Ganok' reported to his commander, “the elder, that </span>
  <em>
    <span>Je’kainde</span>
  </em>
  <span> youngling from the trial and </span>
  <em>
    <span>the female.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Ganok’ used special emphasis on the word female.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"Take care of them," Ujesh's voice rumbled through his comlink. "But leave the female alive. She’s mine."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"Very good, Elder," Ganok' splayed his mandibles at R'sna. "This will be your last hunt." The giant unslung a staff hanging from his back, pressed a button, and four sharp spikes sprouted from one end while the other became a mace shaped like a skull. He quickly turned to address Rava'an, “and as for you… I’ll crush your head with my </span>
  <em>
    <span>ga’da</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anu'sha growled utterly offended, that brute acted as if she was not there, the elder threw himself into the fight against the monstrous </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span>, ignoring her as well.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It had always been like this for the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yaksi</span>
  </em>
  <span>, even before she had completed her first ritual hunt. She was her Sire's favorite, perhaps because she looked so much like her bearer, but the elder rarely came to see her fight in the </span>
  <em>
    <span>kehrite</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Despite being furious at them for letting her out, Anu'sha couldn't interrupt the fight. The strictest rules of engagement were still ingrained in her mind and it was considered dishonorable to fight two against one.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The real reason for this was much simpler, it would be difficult to distinguish who had struck the killing blow and therefore who had the right to claim the trophy, which could lead to infighting and revenge amongst the warriors.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>R’sna attacked Ganok' first, charging forward. Ganok’ raised the heavy mace above his head and swung it toward the old warrior. He narrowly dodged the blow, which ended up wedged into a wall. Rava'an stood beside Anu'sha, he too unwilling to enter the fight without a proper challenge. The choice was taken from him as the giant withdrew his weapon effortlessly from the hull and in a large sweep, hit the young warrior in the abdomen, throwing him backwards.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span> laughed deeply, visibly satisfied. R'sna counterattacked, but his triple spear was deflected by Ganok's mace. In one bold move, R'sna pierced Ganok's shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The giant roared and reacted by sweeping upwards with the blunt weapon, right at the old man's lower jaw. R'sna fell knocked to the ground, spitting greenish blood.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"Age has made you weak," Ganok' mocked him, "you should have made your last hunt while you were still strong."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>While R’sna was on the ground, beaten unconscious, It was Rava’an’s turn to fight the giant but as he recovered from his blow, he was instead attacked by another killer, so Anu'sha saw her chance to enter the fight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Yabh’ v’rta!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” The albino roared furiously as Anu’sha lunged at him so fast that it looked like bluish lightning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ganok' barely had time to turn around to stop the attack. Sparks leaped as her </span>
  <em>
    <span>cha'kra</span>
  </em>
  <span> clashed with the </span>
  <em>
    <span>ga'da</span>
  </em>
  <span>'s metal handle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She unsheathed the blades from her wrist and sliced through Ganok's belly. The giant </span>
  <em>
    <span>Raksasa</span>
  </em>
  <span> roared in fury and recoiled, laying a hand on the wound.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"Ujesh' wants you </span>
  <em>
    <span>alive</span>
  </em>
  <span>, female," he wheezed, and then added maliciously, "but he didn't say under what conditions."</span>
</p>
<p><span>Anu'sha detected an increase of the bitter smell of pheromones and understood the meaning of that last sentence. She grunted in disgust, </span><em><span>Quite predictable</span></em><span>, she told herself, </span><em><span>males always think with their</span></em> <em><span>ze'pha</span></em><span>.</span></p>
<p>
  <span>Ganok' didn’t charge forward this time, but moved in circles, sizing up the female. Anu'sha did the same, the giant was cautious, he knew she was more agile, he would let her make the first move.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She looked for an entry point, but his size made any frontal attack almost impossible.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-”Come on, Brute. Attack!” Anu'sha taunted him, with her </span>
  <em>
    <span>cha’kra</span>
  </em>
  <span> in one hand and the blades in the other, her long dreadlocks fluttered over her shoulders.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Flustered from her gauding and tantalizing scent, Ganok’ jumped, holding the </span>
  <em>
    <span>ga'da</span>
  </em>
  <span> with both hands above his head. The albino landed hard but Anu'sha dodged him by vaulting to the side as she threw the disc at the giant's legs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sharp edge of the weapon sliced through Ganok's right thigh, and he fell to his side, roaring in fury. All courtesy disappeared in that moment, as Ganok' fired up his </span>
  <em>
    <span>vaj'ra</span>
  </em>
  <span> cannon wildly at the female.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hot plasma bolts impacted on the spot where Anu’sha stood moments before. Another burst flew through the hangar and struck down near a storage area, packed with silver urns.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>R'sna's eyes widened, and Anu'sha understood why when S'harva's voice echoed over the communicators.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"Enough!" he ordered growling, "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Mur’kha</span>
  </em>
  <span>, You will kill us all!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Some of the cylindrical containers fell to the ground and rolled with a metallic sound, but fortunately none of the urns exploded, releasing their lethal payload. Ganok' deactivated his cannon. That was the opportunity Anu'sha was waiting for.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She threw her </span>
  <em>
    <span>cha'kra</span>
  </em>
  <span> at the giant albino. The weapon whistled through the air to bury its sharp edge in Ganok's chest. He staggered and fell backward onto a pile of nearby urns, gurgling. Life escaped him through the wound in his chest but he still had a last surprise under his arm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-”</span>
  <em>
    <span>The fight that has begun will not end until the end</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Ganok’ recited in the ancient language.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He pointed his arm at the female and a metallic, silvery net shot out from his bracelet, capturing Anu'sha between the sharp fibers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The net contracted on itself. Anu'sha struggled to free herself but the net was stronger, leaving a diamond pattern drawn on her bluish skin. Anu'sha roared in pain when some of her dreadlocks were cut off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Unlike human hair, dreadlocks were not made of collagen fibers, but were an integral part of the body, with their own blood vessels and nerves. They were a sensitive organ that helped hunters to detect changes in the current and air pressure, similar to a cat’s whiskers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The long appendages were a pride for the </span>
  <em>
    <span>yaksa</span>
  </em>
  <span>, especially the females. Used to attract males by flooding the appendages with blood, coloring them in various shades, not only in visible light but also in other spectra such as infrared.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rava'an severed the neck of his last foe with his wrist blades, stood up and saw his mate struggle for her life. According to tradition, he could not intervene or he would deny the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yaksi</span>
  </em>
  <span> an honorable death. But the female was in a state of </span>
  <em>
    <span>su'hnom</span>
  </em>
  <span>, she carried with her the promise of new life, and letting her die was also forbidden. He approached and sliced through the net with the same blades made from the claws of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>dawon</span>
  </em>
  <span> and helped Anu’sha stand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-”What a surprise, the </span>
  <em>
    <span>youngling</span>
  </em>
  <span> himself..." Ujesh' exclaimed as he stepped out onto the gangway, remarking Rava’an’s age with disdain, "and here I thought it would be Adi'natha or Mahok'sa who would come to challenge us."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-”They… they thought you were not worth the challenge,” Rava'an responded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ujesh' clicked and growled furiously. That young male was not only stupid, but daring as well. Nothing would give him more pleasure than cutting off the tadpole's head in that instant, but he had something better in mind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-"Dying in combat is a courtesy they don't deserve." he said in a mocking tone while turning to his subordinates, "prepare for the attack."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Unbeknownst to everyone, one of the urns had cracked, and the black liquid inside it seeped out and dripped across the floor until it reached Ganok's still-alive body. It reached the giant's head and a sip of the ooze trickled into his open mouth.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>See you on the next, and don't forget to comment. Here's the glossary.<br/>adhi’natha: Chieftain.<br/>akrama’na: Defensive/offensive weapon.<br/>-‘an: Who, referring back to a person and starting a relative clause.<br/>anu’sha: Beautiful, pleasing the senses or mind aesthetically. Attractive, pretty.<br/>dha’nu: Bow, composite, retractable bow.<br/>deva: Unknown bipedal primate mammal (Homo unk. sp.), Engineer.<br/>ga’da: Mace, a heavy club, typically having a metal head and spikes.<br/>ganok’: Troll, mythological creature. Giant, with great size.<br/>je’kainde: \Stubborn, Obstinate, Bull-headed.<br/>ka’thorag: Lurk. Lurker. a person who hunts game stealthily. Stalker.<br/>kehrite: Dojo, a room or hall in which martial arts are practiced. Training arena.<br/>mur’kha: Stupid, Useless. Not fulfilling or not expected to achieve the intended purpose or desired outcome.<br/>ne’dtessei: Lander, a spacecraft designed to land on the surface of a planet or moon.<br/>ner’uda: Shuttle. A vehicle or aircraft that travels regularly between two places.<br/>raksasa: Honorless, a yaksa that has severely violated aspects of the honor code, intentional or not.<br/>rava: Roar, a. noun. A full, deep, prolonged cry uttered by a lion or other large wild animal. Roaring.<br/>r’sna: Frenzy. Berserker, who fights with frenzy.<br/>su’hnom: Conceive, bare a son/daughter. Pregnant.<br/>yabh’: Emotional expression of anger, yabh’v’rta: Used to express astonishment, shock, incredulity, or disbelief. yabh’ yo: to have sex with someone (vulgar slang). Fuck!, What the fuck?, to Fuck.<br/>yaksa: Unknown humanoid synapsid (unk. sp.). f. yaksi. Member of the species who had succeeded in all trials, a true hunter. Predator, Hish-qu-ten.<br/>ze'pha: Penis, phallus, an erect penis (typically used with reference to male potency or dominance).</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks to iterations for the extensive editing. This whole story was her idea.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“<em> She was free in her wildness. She was a wanderess, a drop of free water. She belonged to no man and to no city. </em>”</p><p>― Roman Payne, <em> The Wanderess. </em></p><p> </p><p><b>Twentieth second </b> <b> <em>Yuga</em> </b> <b>, </b> <b> <em>Yaksa</em> </b> <b> calendar (Circa 1624 C.E.) Inside the cargo bay of the </b> <b> <em>Deva</em> </b> <b> warship.</b></p><p> </p><p>With his last breath of life, Ganok' struggled not to swallow the thick, bitter liquid that poured into his mouth. This was his last battle and he lost that too. He felt the substance burn his throat and lungs as it moved down into his belly. His body shuddered in a series of painful spasms, increasingly fighting for air from his damaged lungs. Finally the world turned to darkness and the giant warrior expired.</p><p>But that was not the end, at least not for the nano-particles that were contained in the liquid. They began to act, deconstructing the structure of the big <em> Raksasa </em> at a molecular level, taking organic material here, mixing new and exotic genes there.</p><p>A translucent organic mass formed in the giant's ventral cavity, growing at an expedited rate, a survival mechanism of the species. In a matter of minutes, it had arms, legs, a long tail and a pointed head.</p><p>It squirmed and with a sweep of its tail, the amniotic sac which imprisoned it broke. The ship's crew were still debating what to do with their captives as Ganok's corpse made a final, almost unnoticeable, twitch. It was ready to emerge, and kill.</p><p> </p><p>- o -</p><p> </p><p>-”You have guts, youngling,” Ujesh’ roared, bringing his face closer to Rava'an. The humiliation he’d experienced at the arena would not be repeated here on his ship. “But here, only the strongest prevail." </p><p>He unrolled the whip hanging from his belt. With a flick of his wrist, the flexible strap stiffened, turning into a sharp spear. There was no hesitation when he plunged the tip into the shoulder of the young <em> Yaksa </em> that was squatting next to the female. Ujesh' roared as he twisted the blade.</p><p>Rava'an grunted in pain and fell back, trying to dislodge the weapon. As the young Yaksa struggled to pull out the blade, Ujesh' clicked a button on the hilt. The rigidness left the spear and the tip slipped out from Rava'an's shoulder. With a twist of his hand, Ujesh wrapped the whip around Rava'an's throat.</p><p>-"Now, I'll fashion your skull into a <em> ka-n’dan </em>."</p><p>The <em> Raksasa </em> leader pulled gently and the chitinous material tightened, making the sharp scales on the whip dig into Rava'an's skin. The idea of Ujesh' drinking from his skull curdled his stomach. He shoved his fingers between his throat and the whip, but there was barely any room to maneuver. The grip was too strong. He wouldn't last long at this rate.</p><p>The killer chuckled darkly. He pulled a little more. A gleam of satisfaction filled Ujesh’s masked face as he set to remove Rava’an’s head from his shoulders.</p><p>The sound of breaking bones echoed and there was an explosion of viscera and phosphorescent blood as a small pale creature burst from Ganok's chest. It screeched, displaying its sharp conical teeth. Around its mouth, four pincers, reminiscent of any <em> Yaksa </em>, parted in an unnerving display of aggression. Before anyone had a chance to react, it jumped out of the chasm of Ganok’s ruined chest and creeped up the wall. It shrieked again before disappearing into a vent.</p><p>Ujesh’ heard Anu’sha growl and when he spun around to locate the noise, he was just in time to witness her impale one of his men in the abdomen. His partner was closer, and the green-mottled warrior was already on his way to join the battle. While Anu'sha was engaged in combat, Ujesh's partner saw his chance and placed himself behind her. He sliced his scimitars on both sides of her waist, but her frontal armor prevented the blades from cutting her in half. The gashes they left on her skin pumped sprays of neon green blood that stained her loincloth and greaves. Despite being wounded, the female was handling the situation very well. She spun around gracefully and severed the green Raksasa's head. <em> Impressive </em>, Ujesh' thought. Once the males were killed, he would have his fun with her.</p><p>Ujesh' gave a mighty tug to finish off the youngling, but before he could do so, Rava’an's wrist blades exploded from his wrist guard and they cut through the leash. The young Yaksa grabbed the remaining end of the whip and janked hard. The eyes of the surprised leader widened when he found himself knocked into one of his men. A sloppy, wet sound arose as Rava'an jumped to his feet and threw the remainder of the whip on the ground.</p><p>Rava’an flared his jaws beneath his bio-mask as far as he could. Ujesh’ noticed Ganok’s mace lying beside him and picked it up.</p><p>"Very well, youngling,” Ujesh’ growled while he slowly advanced towards Rava'an with the mace held in a firm grip. “You will die a warrior."</p><p>The <em> Raksasa </em> lunged toward Rava'an with a snarl and he made an attempt at sidestepping, but a mighty sweep from the mace sent him sideways. Ujesh' raised the weapon high, with the intention to bludgeon the young <em> Yaksa </em> lying on the ground to death.</p><p>Meanwhile, something wet and slimy fell near Ujesh's talons. Before he had a chance to investigate, a fiery bolt planted itself in his right arm. He roared, dropped the mace, and quickly ripped the burning projectile from his limb with his other hand, charring his scales. He turned his head in the general direction it had come from and immediately noticed that R'sna, with the Energy Flechette launcher still in his hand, had regained consciousness and was partially raised from his horizontal position.</p><p>-”Two against one?” he growled, “not very honorable.”</p><p>Ujesh' was furious, ignoring Rava'an for a moment, he charged forward and with a powerful kick to the face, sent the Elder flying backwards, where he landed on his back. A trail of blood was left in his wake.</p><p>-”No more playing games,”</p><p>Ujesh' turned his attention back to Rava'an, who was already upright and had his spear in hand.</p><p>The large, dark-colored male charged his plasma weapon, pale blue energy concentrated in the cannon. A triple red laser was aimed at Rava'an's head.</p><p>Rava'an roared defiantly. This time there was no escape, the assassin had him at point blank range. However, before Ujesh could annihilate Rava'an, Anu'sha joined the fight. She threw her <em> cha'kra </em> at the weapon, which detonated into a blue fireball, burning half of Ujesh's face.</p><p>The huge <em> Raksasa </em> was out of his mind. He charged against her in berserker mode, but she twisted her torso sharply, avoiding the attack. The locks that had been spared from Ganok's capturing netH arced behind her as she buried her blades in the attacker's belly.</p><p>The <em> Raksasa </em> fell to his knees. For a moment it seemed that the battle was over, yet Ujesh' turned to the female with his yellow eyes blazing with rage. He grabbed her remaining dreadlocks with one hand and brought her face close to his, only to give her a head butt that sent her backwards.</p><p>-”The fight that began would not end until the end,” Ujesh’ mocked them in the ancient language. As he rose from the ground, green blood spurted from the wound. The Deva armor had protected his vital organs.</p><p>Using the old language as slander only enraged <em> Rava'an </em> more. He retracted the blades into the bracelet and unhooked his father's spear from his back. He pressed a button and the barbed tip made from a <em> Gallu </em>'s tail extended.</p><p>-”Pick up your weapon,” Rava’an told him, pointing at the mace. When Ujesh’ complied, the <em> Yaksa </em> recited, “Let’s finish the dance of the fallen gods.”</p><p>Ujesh' took a deep breath, searching for an entry point. Rava'an's gaze was fixed and his body was tense, ready to act.</p><p>The <em> Raksasa </em> attempted an upward sweep, but Rava'an dodged by leaping backward, then used the spear as a pole to propel himself and kick Ujesh' in the face.</p><p>Ujesh' stumbled a few steps but immediately returned to the charge. Rava'an blocked the blow of the mace with the shaft. The Raksasa was much stronger. Rava'an's legs flexed and he soon began to give ground. When he was almost on his knees, Rava’an rolled over to the side and jumped past the descending mace. He spun midair, extending his wrist blades once more and landed right in front of the opponent. Before Ujesh' could raise the mace, Rava'an plunged his sharp weapons right into Ujesh’s chest plate, narrowly missing his <em> R'daya </em>.</p><p>Ujesh’ gurgled and spurted green blood from his mouth.</p><p>He had been defeated, but the victory would not last long. With his remaining strength, Ujesh’ laughed maniacally as he activated the ship's self-destruction system by pressing a few buttons on his bracelet. Bright red numbers began a countdown on four small rectangular displays. His legs folded and Ujesh' came to rest, with a triumphant grin splayed over his motionless face.</p><p>-"Is it over?" Anu'sha asked Rava'an as she scrambled up from the floor. Rava'an gave her a nod and tried to catch his breath with his hands resting on his upper thighs. Anusha gave Ujesh's dead body a final kick to see if he stirred. He didn't. The fight had ended quickly. Of course that proved that the young man in front of her had proven his worth.</p><p>Rava'an came over to help old R'sna up when a pale figure descended from the ceiling. The Abomination had an eyeless bulbous head sprouting from a muscular torso with thick long arms and three sharp spikes on its back. Its lower body consisted of two slender legs that ended in digitigrade legs armed with sharp claws. A long, flexible tail flapped in the air.</p><p>- "The Scourge!" R'sna exclaimed, unable to keep his feet steady, blood pouring generously from his chest. His breaths were barely more than a gurgling bubble. </p><p>The creature responded by dislodging its jaws unnaturally, letting out a high-pitched squeal. It jumped out and attacked R’sna by sweeping its tail. R'sna twisted his body at the last moment and blocked with his trident.</p><p>The Elder hunter cut one of the creature’s hands with the trident’s blades. A yellowish liquid spurted from the wound for a moment before its skin healed rapidly. Soon, there was no sign that it had been injured at all.</p><p>- "Leave! You won't be able to win this fight," R’sna warned them. "This one is mine."</p><p>Anu'sha grunted in disgust. She wanted to stay and fight the new menace, but she saw it in his eyes, the prospect of facing that creature in a final hunt had restored the wounded elder's energy. Nothing would stop him from killing the abomination. She accepted and together with Rava'an they ran back to the <em> Ka'thorag </em>.</p><p>The ship shuddered as a fireball erupted from the walls, sending them flying across the room. Anu’sha was momentarily knocked down, but Rava'an helped her up. They ran as fast as they could to the shuttle, throwing themselves into the hatch before another fireball exploded behind them.</p><p> </p><p>- o -</p><p> </p><p>The creature screeched at the Elder and attacked with its tail. The old <em> Yaksa </em> dodged to the side and used his blades to sever the barbed tip. A stream of putrid liquid erupted from the wound and hissed as it fell to the ground. The creature turned and using its claws, ripped four long grooves on R'sna's leg.</p><p>The old <em> Yaksa </em> growled and let his guard down for a moment, which the creature took advantage of. It pounced on his chest, pinning him against the floor. The abomination opened its mouth once more to bite the neck of its prey.</p><p>It seemed that the Elder would finally meet <em> Cetanu </em> but he had one last surprise in store. Just like Ganok' had done, he activated his net gun from his wrist guard and sent the creature tumbling backwards, enshrouded in a trap of steel threads which cut through its skin.</p><p>The creature screamed and thrashed frantically trying to free itself, but each movement compressed the web more. R'sna got up with difficulty and smiled. It had been a long, long time since he had a fight with a formidable opponent. This creature had not disappointed him, yet he regretted that the encounter would be too brief.</p><p>Suddenly, the creature managed to break free. It threw the torn pieces of the web aside, screeched furiously, and turned its head toward the Elder. The monster hesitated. Its bulbous, semi-transparent head pulsing in rhythm with its thoughts. R'sna knew that the creature was not only vicious, but intelligent... and they learned fast.</p><p>R'sna braced himself for another attack when a massive explosion erupted from the hangar floor. Between the two contenders, orange flames burst from the rift. R'sna used his left arm to cover his face from the heat wave.</p><p>The creature jumped through the flames, and took advantage of the momentary distraction to thrust his still acid-spurting tail across the Elder's shoulder. R'sna hissed and automatically gripped his melting arm. The trident he was holding dropped to the floor. </p><p>R'sna knew this was the end, and for a brief, satisfying moment, he allowed himself to recall the feats accomplished during his long life. Before he turned to face his doom, he could see his little ship bursting out of the hangar. <em> The younglings had made it! </em> He smiled as the abomination took him by the shoulders and dislocated its jaws, ready to bite his head off.</p><p>-"So be it then," R'sna exclaimed solemnly, as Ujesh's countdown came to an end. A large blue fireball filled the hangar detonating the remaining urns. The deadly liquid contained inside them vaporized, enveloping everything in a black cloud.</p><p> </p><p>- o -</p><p> </p><p>Rava'an struggled to keep the <em> Ka'thorag </em> steady, as they fell uncontrollably. Above them, the huge horseshoe-shaped <em> Deva </em> mothership exploded in a nuclear fireball, followed by a cloud of black smoke. A proximity alarm went off and the hail of debris battered the hull of the ship. Rava'an was not a skilled pilot like R'sna, but he managed to dodge the larger pieces of shrapnel.</p><p>Anu'sha heard the sound of something ripping and turned towards the hatch. The shuttle's pressurized door flew off as translucent white claws tore it asunder. The creature slipped into the cramped space.</p><p>The monster's appearance had changed. One arm was amputated from the elbow joint down, but it was also covered in black specks. Anu'sha watched as the black liquid entered the pores and ran through the body in dark tendrils under the skin.</p><p>The urns contained an ancient weapon used by the <em> Devas </em> against the triple capital of the <em> Yaksa </em>. The compound was actually a powerful genetic accelerator and according to the amount a life form was exposed to, it could kill, create parasitic life forms or mutate by increasing the victim's capacities and aggressive instincts.</p><p>In this case, the abomination's skin began to harden, giving it the appearance of an exoskeleton. Its tone turned into a dark translucent green. The spines on its back grew into sharp blades and its white teeth changed to a metallic tone. Two pairs of fingers fused and a second opposable thumb sprouted.</p><p>The beast was half way inside the ship. Its hindquarters were still in the hatch. Anu'sha reacted by taking Rava'an's weapon and used it to fend off the intruder. The monster recoiled and spat out putrid bile. Fortunately it missed her face, but the steam it gave off blinded her momentarily.</p><p>The creature took the opportunity to grab her leg but in doing so, it lost its grip and slid out of the ship, dragging Anu'sha with it. She used the weapon’s shaft as a lever to stop her from being expelled as well.</p><p>Rava'an couldn't help her, the ship was spiraling downward and he had to swirl to avoid one of the city's spires. The right thruster collided with the frame and the <em> Ka'thorag </em> jerked. The small compartment for weapons and trophies was opened and several objects fell from it.</p><p>Rava'an steadied the ship just before it crashed into the outer deck of the city and lifted it up again. A polished skull rolled past Anu'sha and tumbled down the hatch. Next, a long, curved object slid across the floor toward her.</p><p>"<em> H'rpe. </em>" Anu'sha recognized the artifact. It was an ancient curved sword. She only had one chance. When the blade passed her, she caught it by the handle with one hand. She whirled around on the supporting arm and slashed, slicing off the monster's head and remaining arm.</p><p>The rest of its body slid cleanly off the ship's hull and fell into the city ruins.</p><p> </p><p>- o -</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>Epilogue</b>
</p><p><b>Twentieth second </b> <b> <em>Yuga</em> </b> <b>, </b> <b> <em>Yaksa</em> </b> <b> calendar (Circa 1624 C.E.)</b></p><p> </p><p>The <em> Stalker </em>-class ship lay with its nose half buried in the sand, at the end of a long furrow of broken palm trees lying sprawled along the impact site. Steam was pouring out of its thrusters, which were still glowing red hot.</p><p>Anu'sha stepped out of the <em> Ka'thorag </em>’s hatch and her bare feet delved into the black sand of the beach, Rava’an followed her shortly after.</p><p>They watched as the city that had been their home and capital shuddered. It started to sink and as the black cloud obscuring it dissipated, it was already gone beneath the turquoise waves. The fragments had fallen on the ancient semi-submerged ship and had finished the work that another great battle had begun long, long ago.</p><p>The city may be gone, but all was not lost. A crowd of survivors approached, emerging from the jungle. They were few, most of them either very young or very old, but Anu’sha was confident they could rebuild the clan. She spotted two females she recognized among them. Abhi'tha and Ha'rith led the group, followed by Skan'dha and the youngling R'Sita.</p><p>Mahok'sa, a surviving council member, had injured his foot and was being helped by Rava’an’s father. The two Elders approached Anu'sha with a limping gait. Rava'an's father silently watched the female, taking note of the mesh-like markings on her shoulder and arm and her missing dreadlocks. Mahok'sa patted Chief Adhi'natha's arm so he could stand without aid. He peered curiously at Anu'sha.</p><p>-"R'sna?" The warrior asked hopefully.</p><p>Anu'sha showed him the <em> H'rpe </em> . The creature's acidic blood had partially melted the blade, erasing some of the inscriptions engraved on it, but it was still clear who the weapon had belonged to. She admired the inscriptions on the blade and wondered what bloody fighting it had witnessed. She would never know, the Elder had gone hunting with <em> Cetanu </em>.</p><p>The veteran warrior took it respectfully in his hands. Anu'sha went back to the small ship, took something out of the interior, and returned. She was holding the severed head of the abomination in one hand. She raised the trophy over her head and let out a victory roar.</p><p>The rest of them roared in response: “<em> Jyok </em>!”</p><p>She put down the piece and admired it. Even after death, the creature's head still looked frightening. It was a fearsome adversary, her Sire had indeed chosen a tough challenge in exchange for…</p><p>The sudden realization made her laugh. Rava'an, a few steps behind, asked her confused, "What's so funny?"</p><p>-"The challenge Sire had put as a condition for my favor was to defeat a <em> Gallu </em>," she explained, showing him the head of the beast. "I just realized that I have beaten one. I won."</p><p>Rava'an looked at Elder Mahok'sa and his own Sire for confirmation. Such a thing had never been heard of. <em> A female winning her own mating ritual? </em> The council would have to deliberate. However, Chief Adhi'natha stepped forward and to everyone's amazement, he knelt in front of the female.</p><p>When Mahok'sa did the same. Rava'an understood that Anu'sha was right. During the trial, he had failed to carry out the task. It was Ujesh' who killed most of them. Anu'sha only chose him so she didn't have to mate with the damned <em> Raksasa </em>.</p><p>The young K'satr was too dumbfounded to move. His gaze went to Mahok'sa, who looked at them with great interest. Rava'an's chest throbbed as wildly as when he was about to mate for the first time with Anu'sha.</p><p>The crowd surrounding them was watching the pair breathlessly. Never before had a female warrior asked to remain unmated. That the council seemed to approve was even more astounding. Rava’an reluctantly complied and sank a knee on the black sand.</p><p>-"I will be honored to accept any decision you make, Honored <em> Yaksi </em>," he rasped. His throat felt thick with emotion.</p><p>Anu'sha cast down her eyes on Rava'an and noted the male’s disappointment. The dreads that hung over one of her shoulders trembled ever so slightly.</p><p>The young warrior before her may not have completed the trial, but he had shown skill, honored and protected the <em> Yaksa </em> way of life and honor code, adapted and replaced old outdated ideas with new ones. His actions were worth more than the skull of the most formidable beast.</p><p>She put a hand on the <em> Yaksa </em>'s shoulder. He raised his head to look at her.</p><p>-"I'm not going anywhere," She said with genuine regard towards him, "Not yet."</p><p>Rava'an got up, straightened his back, then he spread his arms as wide as he could and roared a loud victory roar.</p><p>Soon, all the <em> Yaksa </em> joined him.</p><p>- o -</p><p>
  <b>The end.</b>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A/N: Hello readers. This is how we have reached the end. As I mentioned above, this story was a challenge made by user iterations. She read the first predator story I ever wrote and challenged me to make a story that contained smut. As that was not my specialty, I decided to give her a story about a mating ritual, which soon became this kind of prequel to the other stories in the same shared universe: Predator: The Last Hunt, by this author, and the story in progress: Predator: World War, by Iterations.<br/>I hope you liked it, and we will see Rava'an and Anu'sha again soon. Do not forget to comment and if you have questions and suggestions, put them in the comments.<br/>In the meantime, here is the glossary:<br/>Abhi'tha - Fem. Fearless.<br/>Adhi'natha - Chieftain.<br/>Anu'sha - She-who-is-desired.<br/>Cha'kra - Smart disc.<br/>Gallu - Neomorph.<br/>Ganok' - Troll, Stone-giant.<br/>Ha'rith - Green-colored.<br/>Mahok'sa - Great-bull.<br/>Ka-n'dan - Ceremonial bowl made from a skull.<br/>Ka'thorag - Stalker, Lurker<br/>Raksasa - Bad Blood, killer. Those who don't follow the honor code.<br/>Rava'an - He-who-roars.<br/>R'daya - Heart, in this case, the Predator's twin heart.<br/>R'sna - Frenzy, Berserker.<br/>R'sita - Brave-one.<br/>Ujesh' - Conqueror.<br/>Yaksa - How Predators call themselves. True hunter.</p>
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